When Ollie met Chloe
by rh-fntc
Summary: What if Chloe met Oliver Queen first? Would there be an instant connection?
1. And so they meet

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

AN: I know that I should be working on 'Watchtower' and I actually have the next chapter all written out. I'm just ironing out all the details. So for now I'm here to present another Chloe/Oliver fic for your reading pleasure. This is a what-if story, what if Chloe met Oliver before Lois. Set during **Season 6's 'Wither'**. I'm going to try and incorporate the plotlines from the actual show, but giving it the Chlollie twist. Now, on with the story...

**When Ollie met Chloe**

Chapter 1

_And so they meet_

Oliver Queen knocked on the door. There was no answer. He knocked again. Still no answer. He peered through the glass window. It seemed like no one was home.

Oliver, by virtue of being, was not a patient man. He disliked waiting. But more importantly he disliked being stood up. Granted Senator Kent was well within her rights to refuse a meeting with him, but he actually thought that he had similar ideals with the government official. Thus the setup for a meet and greet was arranged months prior. Only now it would seem that the senator was MIA.

"No one's home." an amused voice broke through his inner ramblings as he continued to peer through the window.

He turned around and found himself looking at a petite blonde woman. Probably a few years younger than him. "Your presence contradicts your statement." Oliver smirked at her. This may be the infamous Lois Lane that his assistant kept ranting about.

"Yeah well I don't live here so I stand by my assertion." she smiled at him in return.

Oliver walked over to where she was. "I was suppose to meet Senator Kent." he allowed his eyes to survey the woman who incited such an honest reaction from his typically self-possessed employee. She was wearing a black all-star converse, a pair of dark blue jeans and a bright red hoodie. She didn't seem like the type of person who would be working for a senator. Her outfit was too casual.

"Was she expecting you?" she tilted her head slightly and looked at him speculatively.

Oliver raised a brow at her question. "Of course she is. I wouldn't just barge into the home of a state senator without so much as an invitation. I was told I would be met by her assistant actually." he reciprocated her speculative look.

Her brows furrowed. "Oh of course. You're from Queen Industries. Lois told me to let you in." she nodded and then marched to the door, opened the knob without hesitation.

His expression became completely blank as he realized that no, it was not Lois Lane that he was talking to. Unless of course Lois had the habit of referring herself in the third person.

She opened the door wider and looked at him expectantly. He had no choice but to enter the kitchen. The unknown woman closed the door behind him with such flourish and asked if he would like something to drink. He settled for a cup of coffee, his answer seemed to please the blonde, she smiled widely as she took out two cups from the cupboard and poured the coffee.

"I thought you said you didn't live here. You seem to know where everything is." he commented offhandedly as she brought him the cup, along with the sugar and crème, he supposed she was expecting him to make his own cup.

She glanced at him and then she shrugged. Obviously she was not going to say anything in reply.

They were both sipping their respective beverage quietly.

"Oliver Queen!" the blonde blurted out loudly.

Oliver almost choked on his drink. He shot her an annoyed look. Clearly manners were unheard of by the blonde one.

"You're Oliver Queen. I knew you looked familiar!" she grinned triumphantly.

"I believe I've been severely handicapped. You know who I am but I still don't have a name to match such an attractive face." he gave her a charming smile.

She seemed to find his action completely amusing since she tried to stifle a giggle. "Does that usually work?"

"Does what work?" his smile disappeared at her expression.

"That charming act of yours. I suppose the second you smile like that women would typically go gaga over you." she smirked at him.

"Typically." he returned her smirk, completely entertained by this blonde creature.

"Then again couple your good looks with your reputation and your immense wealth, they really don't stand a chance do they?" she gave him a conspiratorial smile.

"No, they usually don't." he nodded admittedly. "I still have yet to procure a name out of you."

She looked thoughtful for a second before she shaking her head at him, "No, I don't think I would oblige you, after all you with your great wealth and influence could very well discover it on your own." her smiled became impertinent.

Before Oliver could muster a response the door to the kitchen opened and enter Senator Kent.

"Lois, is that Oliver Queen's-" Martha Kent seemed surprise to find the blonde billionaire lounging in her kitchen, sharing a cup of coffee with the unidentified blonde.

"Hi Mrs. Kent!" the blonde one greeted her with such enthusiasm. "Lois is on a fact finding mission so she asked me to wait for Mr. Queen until you got back. And now that you're back I'm off." she got up from her chair and walked over to the sink where she proceeded to wash her cup.

"Well I appreciate your being here-"

"No problem Mrs. Kent. I was in the neighborhood anyway." she obviously cut off the senator just before her name was blurted out. "Bye Mrs. Kent, bye Mr. Queen." she waved at them and walked out of the door.

Oliver couldn't fight off the smile that her exit brought to his face. She was still too stubborn to let him know her name. He was both entertained and charmed by the blonde one. And extremely motivated to find out who she was.  
TBC


	2. Vested Interests

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

AN: So yeah, here's the next chapter...I took the liberty of rearranging the events of the episode. So the only reason why Chloe was at the farm was because she was waiting for Clark so they could investigate the recent meteor related crisis. I'm trying to incorporate the plot, so it would be helpful if you have prior knowledge of the episode 'Wither', that said on with the story...

**When Ollie met Chloe**

Chapter 2

_Vested Interests_

"You can count on my support Senator Kent." Oliver said as he placed his cup back on the table.

It had been a productive meeting.

He was correct in his assumption that he and the senator would get along famously. He couldn't help but feel the overwhelming sense of satisfaction. Senator Martha Kent was a woman of principles. He had a feeling that being in a government position would not change the woman before him. In fact, he could predict with such certainty that her impact in the senate would be a positive one. Something that made his association with her all the more worthwhile.

Now that they were done with the professional part of the meeting he was hoping that he could learn the name of the blonde beauty, who managed to spark some interest in him.

It was unusual. His desire to know more about a woman. Maybe it was the impertinent way she told him that she wasn't going to tell him her name, or maybe it was the way she lit up when she realized who he was. Or maybe he was just being superficial, she was gorgeous. Her looks, coupled with her quick wit and wide smile, Oliver knew he was a goner. He had to know her name.

He cleared his throat. "I was wondering about the young lady who kept me company earlier." he said in a businesslike tone.

Martha's brows furrowed. "Did she ask you for an interview? I'm sorry about that. Sometimes she gets carried away." she smiled apologetically.

Oliver's interest was piqued even more. An interview. So she was some sort of a reporter. He could do as the blonde one said, use his vast resources and look for her name that way. But he had a reliable source right in front of him.

"No, she didn't ask for an interview," he waved off her apology. "I just didn't catch her name."

Martha looked at him dubiously. It wasn't long before a look of understanding settled on her features. "She didn't tell you her name." it wasn't a question.

Oliver laughed quietly, "No I'm afraid she didn't." He put on his most charming smile, "I was hoping that you would be kind enough to help me resolve her grievous oversight."

Martha smiled at him, "I'm afraid-"

"Hey Mrs. Kent! Whose car is that outside? Don't tell me the mighty bald one actually took the time to drop off the invitation himself. I would have figured that he would get his minions to do that for him." the interruption came in the guise of a tall brunette.

Oliver felt a flash of annoyance. He had a feeling that the senator was not going to dignify his inquiry with an actual name. But if the smile on her face was anything to go by, he had a feeling that she would not object to his interest in the young woman.

"Lois!" Martha frowned slightly at the young woman who barged into her kitchen.

Oliver looked at the newcomer with renewed interest. So the brunette was the infamous Lois Lane. She seemed like an abrasive character. She had been there for exactly two seconds and she already uttered an insult. He was positive that she was talking about Lex Luthor.

"Oh, I didn't know you had company." Lois smiled sheepishly. And offered a small smile in his direction.

"I'm surprised to hear you say that Lois. After all I gave you clear instructions to be here." Martha placed her hands on her hips. To Oliver she looked like a mother scolding a child.

Lois winced visibly at the senator's words. "Sorry about that Mrs. Kent. My editor asked me to verify some of the information from my article. I did ask Chloe to stick around, she was here earlier waiting for Clark."

Oliver smiled triumphantly. So the beautiful blonde was Chloe, who also happened to be a reporter. He remained quiet, hoping that he would get more information.

Martha shook her head in disapproval. That was when Oliver knew for certain that she had no intention of giving him the name of the blonde one. He managed to control his urge to smirk. He mentally thanked Lois for unsuspectingly giving him the name.

"Anyway, I'm Lois Lane. And I'm assuming that you're Oliver Queen. Nice to meet you Mr. Queen." she held out her hand to him.

Oliver smiled slightly and shook her hand. "Pleasure to meet you Ms. Lane. I've heard a lot of things about you."

Lois' smile widened, "Good things I hope."

Oliver nodded noncommittally. Nothing could be further from the truth. His assistant was still seething from their last conversation.

"See Mrs. Kent, everything worked out fine. Did Chloe leave already? I was hoping she could read my newest article. I know how much she disapproves of anything that the Inquisitor prints but I figured since I'm family she would be more supportive." Lois continued to talk, ignoring the warning looks that Martha was giving her.

"You're related to Chloe?" he asked politely.

Lois nodded, "Yup, she's my cousin. Did she ask you for an interview?" her eyes narrowed. "Maybe I could interview you before she does, scoop her and the Planet so to speak." she grinned at the thought.

So Chloe was Chloe, a reporter from The Daily Planet. The blonde just keeps getting better and better. He was perfectly willing to overlook her chosen profession, after all it wasn't everyday that he was this interested in someone.

"Lois." Martha spoke softly. "I'm sure Mr. Queen does not have the time to give anyone any interviews. Will you be attending the 'Dark Thursday' benefit Mr. Queen?"

Oliver couldn't help but smile at the way she changed the subject. He nodded. "I believe I am. On that note I better get going. Business, after all, waits for no man." he walked over to the senator and shook her hand warmly.

"Of course Mr. Queen. I'll see you at the benefit then." Martha smiled at him.

Oliver nodded again. He took out his wallet and handed her a calling card. "Would you mind passing this along to Chloe?" He was giving her his private number, that was how much he wanted to meet Chloe again.

Martha inspected the card. "Of course. May I ask why?" the way she smiled it was obvious that she knew perfectly why he was giving out his number.

"I'm simply settling a bet that we have." he nodded politely and headed out.

With any luck Chloe would call and he just might have a date for the costume ball that Luthor was hosting.

_

* * *

_

_Meanwhile…_

"So…" Clark began as they looked around the forest.

"So what?" Chloe looked at him smilingly, she had an inkling as to what brought on uncomfortable Clark.

"What exactly where you doing at make-out point?" Clark blurted out the question with such haste.

Chloe raised a brow at him and smiled, "What do you think usually happens at make-out point Clark?

"So you and Jimmy huh?" he seemed unable to comprehend the idea.

"Well seeing how you saw us earlier I would think that Jimmy and I are indeed a huh." she grinned at him mischievously.

"Chloe." he rolled his eyes at her.

"Listen Clark, let's not discuss my love life in this dark and gloomy forest when clearly we should be focusing on the bigger picture." she nudged her shoulders against his.

"Fine then. Where exactly did you find the body?" Clark looked around the supposed 'dark and gloomy forest'.

"It was just up the road, about a quarter mile." Chloe replied distractedly.

"So you and Jimmy are definitely 'dating'," Clark actually used air quotes as he went back to their original topic.

Chloe laughed softly at his gesture, "I guess. I don't know."

"He spent the night with you Chloe." there was a subtle accusation in his tone.

"And he spent it on the couch while I took the bed." it was her turn to roll her eyes. "Really Clark I don't put out unless the guy takes me out to a fancy dinner first."

Clark blushed at her words. "Chloe!" he seemed completely scandalized.

She laughed heartily as Clark continued to redden.

"So you and Jimmy didn't…" Clark asked after his blush finally died down.

"I don't know if I should be offended that you think I'm easy or disappointed that you think I'm easy." she crossed her arms across her chest and eyed him critically.

Clark lowered his gaze, "You should be both. It's not my place to ask anyway. Why do you let me get away with these things?"

Chloe sighed loudly and patted his arm companionably. "Because you're my best friend. And even if you don't process what you say before you actually say them, I know you're only looking out for me."

Clark looked at her suspiciously. "Something's wrong here. You're being too forgiving."

She gave a mock gasp, "Clark Jerome Kent, are you telling me that you don't think I'm fully capable of being a forgiving person."

Clark rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly, "No, I wasn't. But you, you're acting so…un-Chloe like."

She scowled at him, "I just had a great morning. Sue me."

"And this does not have any connection to the fact that you woke up to a Jimmy-filled apartment."

Chloe suddenly smiled brightly, "If I didn't know any better I would say that someone has a crush."

He looked completely appalled at her insinuation.

She giggled helplessly at his expression. "I had a great morning Clark. That's all." she spoke as if the topic was already dismissed.

TBC

AN2: Wonder why Chloe was in such a good mood, could it have something to do with a certain blonde billionaire? If that's your guess, then you're probably right. Thanks for reading!


	3. Peeved

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

AN: I would like to express my thanks to those who reviewed last chapter, even if there was an utter lack of chloe/oliver interaction. I'm glad you guys are liking the story thus far. And now on with the story...

**When Ollie met Chloe**

Chapter 3

_Peeved_

Chloe sighed as she proceeded to walk towards the house. The day felt like it would never end. If she knew that she would have to deal with everything she probably would have chosen to remain in bed.

Problem # 1:Jimmy. Sure Jimmy Olsen seemed harmless. But the night before, he just planted one on Chloe. Maybe she should have expected it. After all they did have a history. Not a particularly good one but a history nonetheless. Still maybe she did, in some level, want him to kiss her. But the moment it happened she felt nothing.

After finding the body of the girl everything pretty much ended anyway. But then Clark had to drop by just as Jimmy was coming out of the bathroom this morning. She would have laughed at the way that Clark said goodbye, not even bothering to ask why she asked him to drop by in the first place.

Problem # 2: Clark. Yes admittedly she told him that she wasn't exactly expecting them to hook up when she kissed him on Dark Thursday and he agreed. But then the expression on his face this morning, well it was enough for her to doubt his own words. He seemed crestfallen. Add the prior interrogation; what exactly was she supposed to think?

Problem # 3: Lana. She was supposedly moving on with her life. But she was lying to herself if she denied the fact that she was still harboring some secret hope that one day Clark would just blurt out his secret to her and then they could live happily ever after. If she even so much as thought about hooking up with Clark, well was she willing to sacrifice a friendship that she had come to depend on?

And finally, well he did not exactly qualify as a problem per se, Oliver Queen was entirely too interested in her.

When Lois asked her to wait for someone while she went off somewhere, Chloe did not exactly expect to meet another billionaire playboy. It wasn't as if Smallville needed another one of those.

So she was at the barn, half-hoping that Clark would return already. They were supposed to be investigating the recent weirdfest. But ever since he left the apartment he was MIA, something that she didn't appreciate since he was the superpowered one in their duo. He should be grateful that she managed to track him down, well after her strange encounter with Oliver Queen.

The first time she saw him all she thought was 'yum' and it was fun when she finally recognized him. It was fun watching him try and find out her name. She would have cackled evilly at his expression when she left without telling him anything, but she was launched into full investigative mode.

Chloe briefly wondered if Mrs. Kent told him who she was. It wasn't as if she gave Clark's mom explicit instructions not to tell him who she was. She shrugged as she contemplated that possibility. She had far more important things to worry about.

Clark was off to the Luthor mansion, to interrogate the lord of the manor about the recent freaky incident. Of course she had to remind her best friend to keep his temper in check. She had to remind him that Lex was not always the one responsible for all nefarious events in Smallville. Of course Clark was letting his emotions get the better of him. Thus the reinforcement of problem 2 and 3, if he was still so hung up on Lana then why the hell was he disappointed that she didn't want to hook up with him?

'Men!' she blurted out in annoyance.

She saw Mrs. Kent waving from the kitchen.

She was supposed to head straight for the loft and start on her research. Clark was mysteriously harmed by the plant at the forest when they rescued the guy from the night before. Therefore it was kryptonite based. She assigned herself the task of finding out the why, while Clark was chasing a false lead. At least she felt that it was completely useless to try and pin everything on Lex. Clark asked her to wait for him at the farm and then they were supposed to check up on the guy from the forest, code for look for more clues at the hospital.

"Hey Mrs. Kent!" She waved back and was about to keep walking towards the barn.

"Chloe, would you mind coming in for a bit?" Martha smiled at her. "I made some coffee and cookies."

Chloe smiled at her, "No fair Mrs. Kent, you know my weakness." She teased the older woman and headed for the door that would lead her to the cookies and her favorite liquid.

Martha laughed at her words. Ever since Chloe discovered Clark's secret she had been coming to the farm more often. And she was grateful for the company. She never would have thought that the blonde reporter would be such a loyal secret keeper, on the second thought; she'd always known that Chloe's loyalty would trump any desire to break out the biggest story in history.

She placed a cup of coffee and a plateful of cookies in front of her son's best friend. "I'd like to thank you for being here when Oliver Queen dropped by." She said as she sat across from Chloe.

"It's no big deal. I was here anyway." Chloe replied dismissively as she took a sip of her ambrosia.

"Chloe." She used her motherly tone and the younger woman looked at her sheepishly.

"You're welcome Mrs. Kent. I was happy to help. So is Mr. Queen giving you his support?" she leaned forward and asked with such interest.

Martha nodded smilingly. "He told me that I could count in his support. He was such a pleasant young man."

Chloe scoffed at her description but kept her opinions to herself.

Martha's smile widened. "He asked me to give you this." She handed Chloe the calling card that Oliver gave her earlier.

Chloe's brows furrowed as she reached for the card.

_Oliver Queen_

_(785) 555-6345_

"I think that's his private number. He gave me an entirely different calling card." Martha was smiling at her.

Chloe frowned slightly. "Did he say why he wanted me to have this?"

"He said you two have a bet to settle." Martha was still smiling.

She remained quiet at the answer. So somehow the blonde billionaire managed to find out her name. She shouldn't be surprised, after all Mrs. Kent could have told him who she was.

"It was amusing actually." Martha commented offhandedly.

Chloe looked at her curiously.

"The way he was trying to learn your name." Martha said in explanation. "He was trying to get me to tell him. It was Lois who actually told him who you were."

Chloe rolled her eyes. Of course Mrs. Kent didn't spill the beans. That honor belonged to her own flesh and blood. She placed the card on the table and focused her attention back to the cookies.

"So are you going to give him a call?" Martha broached the question carefully. She knew that Oliver was interested in Chloe. She saw it in the way he looked at her as she left this morning. She saw it as the young man asked for her name. She saw it as he handed her the calling card. And she could tell that it was a rare thing for Oliver to do what he did today.

Chloe just shrugged in return. "I really don't know Mrs. Kent. I just have too much stuff going on right now."

Martha nodded. "I understand."

"I mean I have the Planet. And I'm actually giving dating a try." Chloe bit into her cookie with too much fervor.

"You're already seeing someone?" This was news to Martha.

"Kinda. It's not all that settled yet." Chloe bit her lip as she waited for Martha's reaction.

"I think Oliver wants to ask you to the costume ball." Martha said plainly. If nothing was settled yet then there was no reason for her not to go with Oliver. It was high time that young men started to notice the gem that was Chloe Sullivan.

Chloe actually snorted at her words. "Like I would be caught dead at a social event hosted by Lex. No offense."

"None taken dear, I know that you already picked Clark's side in this ridiculous battle between him and Lex." Martha shook her head disapprovingly.

"It was inevitable. Besides, it's hardly a battle. They're fighting over a girl." She said with such distaste.

'If you only knew.' Martha thought to herself. "It's okay to keep your options open Chloe." She said as she reached for the young girl's arm. "You never know, you just might like Mr. Queen."

"I doubt it." She wrinkled her nose. She put down her empty cup and snagged one last cookie from the plate. "Thanks for the snack Mrs. K. But I need to go back to work. Clark would be coming back soon and I need to at least have something on our new meteor freak." She got up from the chair and started for the door.

"Chloe, you forgot something." Martha looked at the calling card meaningfully.

Chloe frowned and took the card, slipped it in her back pocket. She was all set to go to the barn when Martha said her name again.

"I never thanked you for being there for Clark. I just want you to know that he appreciates it. More than you'll ever know, as do I." Martha looked at the young woman warmly.

Chloe grinned at her. "Thanks Mrs. Kent. I'm glad I'm able to help." She waved with finality and left the house.

* * *

Chloe was busy reading up on the current meteor related file. It was strange that something as innocent as a plant could bloody Clark's hands. It meant that whatever they were dealing with was new.

And coincidentally this occurred right after Clark's grand exit from the phantom zone. 'Maybe there is a connection.' She thought to herself.

It had been almost an hour since Clark went off in his own little adventure. And she had been busy with trying to actually find out the real cause of the problem.

But so far no go. She leaned back on the couch. Her gaze landed on the card that was innocuously lying on the table. She took it out of her back pocket because she felt completely weird having it in her possession.

Sure it was fun; she did flirt with the guy, just a teeny bit. But it wasn't supposed to go anywhere. Harmless flirting was not supposed to get her the number of a very eligible bachelor.

She stared at the calling card. What exactly was the harm in calling him? She would have the opportunity to berate him for being such a cop out. She grabbed her phone and punched in the number. After a moment's hesitation she pressed call.

The phone rang a three times before it was answered. "Queen." Was the curt greeting.

"What is it with billionaires answering their phones with their last names? Why can't you just answer the phone like normal people? Would a simple hello kill you?" she blurted out before she could stop herself.

Oliver laughed warmly at her greeting. He had been waiting for her call. He had hoped that it wouldn't take her long to call him and he wasn't disappointed. "How are you Chloe Sullivan? Intern for the Daily Planet, freshman at Metropolis University, majoring in journalism." He rattled of the information he had in front of him.

"Should I be impressed now? You took such a coward's way out Mr. Queen. I can't say I'm not disappointed." She shook her head disapprovingly, even though he couldn't see her expression.

He heard the disapproval in her voice. It just amused him more. "I would have been a fool for not taking advantage of the fact that the Kent residence was full of people who knew you. Wouldn't you have been more disappointed if I didn't utilize those resources to the best of my ability?" he countered easily.

"Whatever." She retorted dismissively. "So why did you want me to call you? Aside from the gloating."

"I wasn't aware I was gloating." Oliver replied with laughter in his voice. The blonde one was really too much, her quick wit was enough to reel him in.

"Don't bother denying it. You were." She rejoined grumpily. She could not deny that the conversation was not going the way she expected it to go.

"I wasn't. I merely wanted to thank you for your company this morning." Oliver could hear a slight edge to her tone. Maybe he was gloating, just a little bit.

"You're welcome then. Is that all?" she asked with such curtness. Sure he was handsome, gorgeous even. But he didn't have to act like a typical arrogant rich kid.

"Actually I was hoping that you would come with me to the costume ball that Lex Luthor's hosting at his mansion." Oliver tried to inject some nonchalance in his words.

Chloe wrinkled her nose, "No thanks."

"Is there any particular reason why?" Oliver asked in a clipped tone, he was not used to outright rejection.

"You mean aside from the lack of an actual invitation? That felt more like an order rather than an invite." She replied coolly.

"Is your objection solely based on the way I phrased my request?" He was back in good humor, she certainly was an original. Attending the ball with her would provide him with much entertainment and it didn't hurt that she was easy on the eyes as well.

"My objection had more to do with your entire person Mr. Queen. I prefer not to associate with your type." Chloe rolled her eyes in exasperation, she should have expected the man not to take no for an answer.

"And which type am I exactly?" Oliver smiled to himself; he was enjoying the conversation more and more.

"I have a feeling that you know which type you are. Now that you told me to go to the ball with you and I said no, should we end this already?" Chloe tapped her foot impatiently.

"I happen to be enjoying our conversation Ms. Sullivan." He responded simply.

"Well this conversation is simply a waste of my cell phone minutes. Thanks for the invitation, but no thanks. I have to wash my hair." She said impertinently. Inwardly she was giggling at her rejoinder.

"You are aware that the second you said no, you made your self unattainable?" He asked charmingly.

"I'm not some object that you have to win." Her eyes narrowed at the thought. Oliver Queen was an arrogant prick.

"But by purposefully rejecting me you are making yourself a challenge. And I have to inform you Ms. Sullivan, I happen to love challenges." He truly did and he never lost. Chloe just made herself even more worthy of his pursuit.

"Chloe, who are you talking to?" He heard the male voice just as he was waiting for Chloe's response.

"No one." She told the unidentified man. "I have to go." She told him and hung up.

Oliver looked at his phone and wondered who could have interrupted their interesting banter. He needed to start planning. He had to get her to agree to go to the ball with him. Going with someone else was simply not an option.

TBC


	4. Tenacious

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

AN: I haven't updated in a while. I apologize for that. I would like to thank those who took the time to review the last chapter. I'm glad you're liking the interaction between Chloe and Oliver. There's more of that in this chapter...I suppose I should let you guys go on with the reading. Thanks again for the feedback, always appreciate it. I would like to thank **pipersmum**, who dropped me a nice encouraging note to update, pushed me to write this chapter! Hope you enjoy this chapter!

Chapter 4

_Tenacious _

"So who was on the phone?" Clark asked her as he sat on the table before her.

Chloe just shrugged dismissively. "It was no one Clark."

Clark looked at her apprehensively.

"So what's new from the manor?" Chloe gave him an expectant look, steering clear of the current subject. She had no idea how Clark would react to the possibility of someone else expressing interest in her. He was obviously perturbed by the entire Jimmy situation; she had no intention of adding Oliver Queen to the mix.

"I don't think Lex knows anything." Clark replied ruefully.

"He doesn't, who saw that one coming?" She rejoined teasingly.

Clark rolled his eyes at her, "Okay now that you've had you're fun, did you find anything?"

"Well I think a trip to the hospital is in order." Chloe declared as she got up from the couch.

Clark grinned at her suggestion, maybe they would finally get somewhere with the investigation and if he had to spend time with her in order to do it then so much the better.

* * *

"Well that was a spectacular failure." Clark grumbled as they walked up the stairs to Lois' apartment. They needed coffee and they needed privacy, the apartment above the Talon seemed like the best idea.

Chloe rolled her eyes at Clark; he had been in a bad mood since they left the hospital. Oh scratch that, his bad mood began the moment he saw Jimmy.

Apparently her quasi-boyfriend had the same idea as they did. And he was a little angry that she went to the woods with Clark, without him. Apparently his anger stemmed from being kept out of the loop and that she hadn't fully defined what they were to each other. Jimmy said she was his girl, she was slightly peeved at the reference, after all she wasn't an object to be owned and she had no plans of becoming attached to anyone right now, not when the universe seemed completely out of flux. She had Jimmy and from the looks of it she had Clark. And then there was the matter of a blond billionaire.

She felt like she had to mediate the entire encounter when all she wanted to do was figure out the mystery of the freak of the week and get on with her life. Suffice to say Jimmy wasn't pleased, Clark wasn't pleased and she was extremely frustrated with the entire situation.

"Not entirely. You told me that the plant that made your hands all bloody did not weaken you like kryptonite. That's something. And also the thing with the guy's x-ray, I say we have a lead. We'll just have to wait a bit until my botany professor from Met U calls me back. That vine you got is going to help us solve this." She said reassuringly as she opened the door.

"You're here!" Lois greeted the two of them happily.

"And you're here!" Chloe responded with pretty much the same enthusiasm.

Clark frowned at the sight of her cousin. "I thought you'd be at the farm with my mom." He said glumly.

"Nice to know I'm welcome at my own home." Lois retorted as she walked over to where Chloe was standing and grabbed her hand and tugged excitedly. "You have something waiting for you." Lois practically dragged her to where two boxes were sitting innocently on the table.

Chloe's brows furrowed, she did not order anything so she had no idea what the packages contained.

"Open it." Lois ordered her impatiently.

Chloe laughed at her eagerness.

She did as Lois told her and opened one. The first box contained a beautiful green velvet dress. She lifted it out of the box and saw the gown completely. It was a dress fit for someone living in the medieval era; the deep green offset the intricate beading of the wide skirt perfectly. The gown would fall to the floor if she wore it. The beige cape complimented the dress impeccably. And inside the box were the accessories complete with a headdress.

"What is that?" Clark eyed the dress skeptically; he had no idea why Chloe would need such an outfit.

"Open the other one." Lois looked completely fascinated with what the box contained and was eager to see more.

Chloe placed the green gown back in the box and focused her attention on the other one. She gasped at what she saw. It was a white silk gown this time. Once again she lifted the dress out of the box to see it fully. It was a sight to behold. The white material felt so soft to her touch. The gown would bare one shoulder while covering the other. The entire gown glistened and upon closer inspection she saw small diamond studs decorating the top while a pattern of green leaves were embroidered at the edge of the skirt.

"This one has a crown made of flowers Chloe." Lois took out the said crown for her inspection.

Chloe carefully placed the dress back in the box. She snatched the letter on the bottom of the box. She had a pretty good idea who sent the packages. She opened the letter and her suspicions were confirmed.

"Who's it from Chloe?" Lois asked her excitedly while Clark just looked on, seemingly irritated by the turn of events.

Chloe pursed her lips as she read the letter.

_Dear Chloe,_

_I am hoping that you will wear one of these gowns for the costume ball the Lex Luthor is hosting. I only ask that you inform me which one you'll be wearing so I can dress accordingly. I will be eagerly awaiting your response._

_Yours truly,_

_Oliver_

"Of all the…" Chloe uttered as she stuffed the letter back inside the envelop. She looked up to see the curious looks of her cousin and her best friend.

"What was that all about?" Lois stared at her as she crammed the envelop in her purse. She didn't want to have to explain the entire Oliver debacle to Lois and Clark.

"It's nothing." She answered dismissively.

"It sure doesn't look like nothing to me." Clark commented sternly. He had a feeling that the situation had something to do with the conversation that Chloe had with an unidentified person earlier at his loft.

"These look like costumes. Did someone ask you to attend the costume ball that Luthor's hosting?" Lois asked her point blank.

"I don't have time to go to a stupid function. Besides I don't even want to go." Chloe muttered mostly to herself, completely lost in her own world.

"Who invited you Chloe?" Clark interjected offhandedly.

Chloe finally snapped out of it and looked at Clark questioningly. Did he just ask her who asked her to go to the benefit? It wouldn't do to add more to his bad mood.

"Could you guys excuse me for a sec? I have a phone call to make." Chloe ignored Clark's question and proceeded towards the door. She left Lois and Clark staring after her completely confused.

"Don't you dare eavesdrop." She whispered warningly as she walked out, knowing fully well that Clark would hear her. She hoped that for once Clark would listen to her. She needed to tell Oliver Queen off and she did not want to do it with an audience, or listener.

* * *

"Chloe."

Someone called her name just as she reached the last of the steps. Lana. The other girl had a troubled look on her face. Chloe sighed in exasperation. Was it bug-Chloe-day? Everyone seemed intent on coming to her for their problems, as if she did not have enough to deal with.

"Hey Lana." She greeted the other girl quietly.

"I took some of your stuff during the rush to get out of Metropolis." Lana offered her a notebook that she hadn't used in a while and an eraser that probably fell out of her bed and was forgotten completely.

Chloe smiled wryly, "You know you don't need an excuse to come and see me. I'm not going to nag you to return these…things. I could definitely live without them."

Lana shrugged helplessly. "I just felt like I need a reason to talk to you."

"Well you don't. So tell me what's going on?" She replied, anxious to get to her phone call. She was sure that whatever Lana had to talk about had something to do with either Clark or Lex.

"It's…" Lana trailed off hesitantly.

Chloe mentally urged her to get to the point. Outwardly she flashed Lana a small smile.

"It's Lex. He asked me to…we talked about our relationship." Lana shot her an entreating look, as if she should know what she was talking about.

"What about it?" She tried to keep herself from snapping at her friend. She had a billionaire to decapitate, figuratively anyway.

"He was asking me… I don't know… he wanted to know what he meant to me." Lana looked completely forlorn.

"So basically he's asking you to define what exactly you two are. I mean you're technically living with the guy so he wants to know if it's strictly roomies or more than that." She finished for Lana.

Lana nodded eagerly. "And I just don't know. I mean after everything with Clark…"

"Look Lana, you and Clark, you two broke up. It's natural to try and move on. And while I am not a hundred percent behind the idea of you and Lex hooking up…well it's not fair to keep dangling the guy along." She declared flatly. When had her life become one giant soap opera?

"I know that." Lana looked resentful at her words. "I just don't know if I'm ready for a relationship again."

"Then tell him that. Tell him that you want to take it slow. But moving in with him may not be the best course of action. And you can't allow what happened between you and Clark keep you from entering into a new relationship. Just be honest with him, that's all I can tell you." It was her turn to shrug helplessly.

"I know. You're right. I just hope I'm not making a big mistake." Lana lowered her gaze, avoiding all eye contact with her.

"Love is a leap of faith. If you can see Lex in your future then you owe your self the chance to find out for yourself." Chloe touched Lana's arm comfortingly.

Lana nodded resolutely. "Thanks Chloe. I know how hard it must be to be in the middle of everything."

'No you don't.' She thought to herself. "I'm glad I could help. And next time you don't need to bring me junk so we could talk. You can always use a phone." She held up her cell jokingly.

Lana smiled. "I guess I should let you go. You looked like you had something to do. Thanks Chloe." Lana flashed her a smile just before she walked out of the Talon.

"I sincerely hope you didn't eavesdrop." Chloe said quietly, knowing that if Clark was actually eavesdropping he just might be in a worse mood than before.

She stepped out of the establishment and took a deep breath before she dialed the now familiar numbers.

"Queen."

"What have I told you about answering your phone like that?" Chloe rolled her eyes. She smiled slightly at the start of their conversation, no matter how much the man infuriated her; he also had the uncanny ability to entertain her.

Oliver laughed at her greeting. He had been waiting for her call since he received confirmation that the packages were delivered. "Hello to you to Chloe."

"When did we agree to be in a first name basis?" She asked him archly.

"You probably missed the memo. I believe it was in the package I sent you." Oliver replied dryly.

"Speaking of those packages, I believe I told you I won't be accompanying you at the charity ball." Chloe countered easily.

"And you ended our conversation prematurely, before I could fully state my case." He volleyed back; once again he felt a certain thrill at their conversation.

"I told you I'm busy." She insisted stubbornly. She was busy. There was a stupid plant killer on the loose; there was no time for social niceties.

"Washing your hair? Come on Chloe that rationale has been severely overused. Aren't you the least bit curious to see who would be attending the function? I would think that a reporter such as yourself would pounce on the chance to interrogate the high and mighty of the Metropolis society." Oliver opted to peak her reporter instinct. He really was looking forward to enjoying her company for a full night. And he had no qualms on using his every available option to make it happen.

"You actually think you have me all figured out don't you? You're trying to use my curiosity against me." She laughed softly, the man was certainly perceptive. Maybe if she did not have the threat of some plant going on a killing spree hanging over her head she would consider going.

"I was counting on it actually." Oliver admitted ruefully.

"I still can't go. But thank you for the invite." Chloe suddenly remembered that Clark could very well be listening to their conversation. Must end now.

"Would at least tell me why?" Oliver did not want to admit defeat but he couldn't help but hear the steely determination in her voice.

"I have some stuff going on." She answered curtly. Like some weird stuff that would probably send him packing.

"Anything I can help with?" He was disappointed that he could not convince her to go with him to the costume ball, but he was not about to give up entirely.

"I don't think so. But thanks again…" She should end the call, she knew she should end the conversation already, but a part of her wanted to keep talking to him.

"It would have been a great honor for me." Oliver replied with such sincerity. He would have to try again.

"You flatter me. Did you go to charm school?" She asked him teasingly.

"I'll have you know it comes naturally." He retorted in mock indignation. He heard her laugh at his reply and he grinned at the lovely sound.

"I'm sure. I do have a question though." Chloe was really curious to find out who exactly she was supposed to be, had she accepted his invitation.

"As long as it does not pertain to any business concerning Queen Industries and any of my exploits I would be happy to answer them." Oliver replied jokingly.

Chloe rolled her eyes at his response. At least he was vigilant when protecting his privacy, she wasn't even thinking of who he was since they started the conversation. "I was wondering, about the costumes. Who was I supposed to be?"

Oliver smiled to himself, "Had you worn the green gown you would have been Maid Marian."

Chloe scoffed at his answer. "Maid Marian was a brunette. Are you blind as a bat or did you not notice my hair color?" She inquired sarcastically.

"I am well aware of all aspects of your being Chloe." He laughingly rejoined.

Chloe shivered involuntarily at his response. "If you were then why bother sending me that gown?" She interjected sardonically.

"I wanted to go as Robin Hood." He answered simply.

"And the white gown?" She bit her lower lip as she waited for his answer.

"Rosalind, I believe she was cast as a blonde. And while I prefer arrows I would have endured a sword for you." He declared earnestly.

Chloe brows furrowed. Rosalind and a sword. "Rosalind and Orlando, As you like it." She responded automatically. She heard him laugh heartily at her answer. She felt gratified at the sound of his laughter. There was a rusty quality to it and it made her ability to make him laugh all the more special.

"Bravo Ms. Sullivan." He avowed warmly. Looks, check; wit, check; whiplash smarts, check. "I don't suppose you'd be interested in having dinner with me."

Chloe could not muster a response. This was not just an invitation to a ball. This was an outright date thing. "I don't know." She answered hesitantly.

"How about a cup of coffee then?" He asked hopefully.

"I'm kind of seeing someone." She said in a small voice. Great she just rejected a gorgeous blonde billionaire, one who she was totally attracted to.

"Oh." So maybe that was why she was vehement in her refusal. She was seeing someone. He couldn't help the flash of disappointment that coursed through him. "Nothing serious I hope." He injected some playfulness in his question, but he was entirely serious at the hoping part.

"It's new. And you know what nothing's quite settled yet." She declared with such conviction. "And I am not one to turn down an offer of coffee."

Oliver could not help but smile at her answer; maybe he had hope after all.

TBC


	5. It's Just Coffee

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

AN: Sorry if this took so long, been busy with RL. Thanks to those who left me some much needed feedback, I always appreciate it. This is basically a transitory chapter, the next one would be more...eventful, or at least I'd like to think so. Anyway, I'd like to dedicate this chapter to **pipersmum, **who gave me the nudge I needed in order to get this chapter written. Hope you like this chapter. Now on with the story...

Chapter 5

_It's Just Coffee_

Chloe entered the establishment as unobtrusively as possible. She was fifteen minutes early. And that was just how she liked it. She looked around and breathed a sigh of relief. She headed straight for a quiet corner and held up the menu to cover her face, while looking over it covertly. She had a clear view of the door, she would spot him the moment he walked in. She grinned to herself; this was going to be an interesting meeting.

A few hours after Oliver issued the invitation for coffee, she and Clark solved the mystery of the man-eating plant, and Nelly Furtado's version of _Man-eater_ played in her head when they found out that the plant was female. She had to rescue Clark and then Jimmy from the clutches of the evil plant…woman…thing.

She shook her head in recollection; it would seem that despite all Clark's powers he had still fallen prey to yet another brunette, it was probably her short shorts that distracted him, she mentally added.

It was a relief to be out of Smallville, even if for just a few hours. Chloe made sure that no one in the entire basement of the Daily Planet knew where she was, in the off-chance that Clark and/or Jimmy took it upon themselves to seek her company.

Fortunately, Clark took her order to heart and refrained from eavesdropping on her conversation with Oliver. So her coffee…date was not in anyone's radar.

Chloe's thoughts were interrupted by a tall attractive brunette, who was holding a pad and a pen, looking at her impatiently. Apparently she was being asked for her order; she pursed her lips in indecision. According to her watch Oliver was not late…yet. But she couldn't resist temptation much longer. She ordered a giant cup of black coffee. The waitress seemed entertained by her pained expression and then her eventual grin at the thought of her caffeine fix. And Chloe was glad; it was in her best interest to befriend her suppliers.

Once again left to her own devices she reflected back on what happened in the last couple of days. The costume ball that Oliver had been so insistent that she accompanied him to was a success, Lex Luthor managed to raise more than enough to start the reconstruction of Metropolis and other cities affected by the entire blackout. And while she was unable to attend because of the entire phantom zone situation, she sent Lois to go in her place.

She insisted that her cousin wore the Maid Marian outfit, if only because she fit the bill perfectly. After the slightest alterations to the dress, made possible by Mrs. Kent, Lois looked exactly like a lady of yore. Chloe was certain that since Oliver was going to the ball without a date, without her (and she was most definitely leaning towards the Rosalind costume), that he would be wearing the Robin Hood costume. And she was right.

According to Lois, Oliver was polite if not a little aloof at her presence as his date to the ball. The man was nice enough; they danced and listened to the _All American Rejects_ as they played their songs, they conversed easily and they even made a bet on how capable he was with the bow and arrow. He, as Lois described, was a perfect gentleman. Chloe was a little wary; the look on Lois' face was enough to tell her that her cousin had the beginnings of a crush.

Unbeknownst to her cousin, Oliver called her the next day and informed her that there was no way that she could back out of their coffee date. Chloe was decidedly pleased at his reaction and promised him that he would get his coffee date but she was going to be busy for a few days and that she would call him once her schedule was clear. Oliver seemed dubious at her reply. But because their acquaintance was new he was unable to demand anything of her.

And there she was, three days later. A glance at her watched confirmed that Oliver should be making an appearance right about now. And the door to the café opened on cue, revealing the gorgeous blonde, whose gaze swept his surroundings surreptitiously.

Chloe was still hiding behind the menu. She was glad for the anonymity that it offered. She watched Oliver as he commanded the attention of the few patrons of the establishment. He was wearing a gorgeous Armani suit and a green silk tie, she looked down at her own clothes and felt a little underdressed in her black knee-length skirt and green sleeveless blouse. No matter, it was not like it was a real date.

She was still staring at him in the midst of her internal debate. Her thoughts came to a full stop the moment that their eyes clashed. Oliver smiled and strode purposefully towards her.

"Chloe." He said with such warmth.

"Mr. Queen." She replied with such professionalism.

Oliver smirked at her greeting. "Haven't we settled on being on a first name basis?" He countered easily.

"I believe you said the memo was with the packages that you sent me, I didn't find it." She shrugged as she finally graced him with a smile.

"I'll see to it that you receive a copy of the memo sometime today." He responded agreeably as he took a seat across from her.

Chloe nodded imperceptibly in acknowledgement.

"So, what's good here?" He smiled at her as he opened the menu.

Her eyes sparkled in amusement, "Coffee?"

Oliver grinned at her. "Of course."

They were smiling at each other as the waitress interrupted them. "Coffee?" The young woman was positively salivating over Oliver, who was completely oblivious to her attentions.

Chloe shook her head when she finally looked at their waitress. "Oliver…" She nodded her head in the waitress' direction.

Oliver finally blinked and looked at their waitress and then at Chloe. "Have you ordered?"

Chloe held up her giant cup with both of her hands, took a drink from it and then smiled at him.

He shouldn't be completely entranced by such a simple act but he was. The waitress cleared her throat loudly which prompted him to clear his own throat for an entirely different reason. "I'll have what the lady is having." He focused his attention back on Chloe, "And perhaps a slice of pie."

"Not yet. It would destroy the taste of coffee." Chloe declared resolutely. She heard the waitress scoff at her words.

"Very well coffee for now, pie later." Oliver replied agreeably and went back to his previous preoccupation, staring at Chloe.

The waitress practically marched away crossly; clearly she did not appreciate being ignored. Chloe quelled her desire to laugh and focused her attention back to Oliver. "Do you know that it's rude to stare?" She commented archly as she took a sip of her coffee.

"Is it really?" Oliver leaned back on his chair.

"I would have thought that a man of your breeding would know that. Didn't you learn that on your first day of charm school?" She looked through the menu idly as she waited for his answer.

"I missed the first day of lecture." He countered easily. His focus was still on her that he barely acknowledged the waitress as she put a cup in front of him. The two of them were too absorbed in each other that they failed to see the angry look on the waitress' expression as she walked away from their table.

Chloe shrugged. "I guess you're lucky to be naturally charming then?"

"I'm charming am I?" He raised a brow at her statement, completely entertained.

"Momentary lapse in judgment. Clearly your ego does not need further enlargement." She commented offhandedly.

"Clearly." Oliver nodded agreeably.

Chloe laughed softly at his concurrence.

"So I guess I am charming _and_ funny." He leaned forward and whispered to her conspiratorially.

"Remains to be seen." She rejoined teasingly.

"I suppose the only way you could do that is if we saw each other on a regular basis." Oliver gave her a meaningful look.

"I suppose." She drank from her cup uneasily.

"Unless of course you prefer not to." He amended quietly.

"Oh but I want to." She replied eagerly.

Oliver smiled at her answer. "I want to too." He responded just as eagerly.

They were smiling each other, completely lost in each other.

"Chloe-"

"Sorry to interrupt but I just wanted to tell you that we just brought out a cherry pie, fresh from the oven." A suggestive voice interrupted their conversation. Both of them looked at the waitress at the same time. Chloe was simply amused while Oliver was clearly irate.

"I'm not fond of cherry pie." Oliver remarked coolly.

"Are you sure?" Their waitress looked less confident.

He nodded imperceptibly.

"How about you?" The waitress turned to Chloe abruptly, who also turned down the offer of pie.

"I believe my girlfriend here could use a refill." Oliver winked at Chloe as he took her hand in his and turned to their waitress.

Chloe bit her lip to keep from laughing. Oliver was putting the waitress in her place and he was doing it without being obnoxious.

"Oh of course, I-I didn't realize." The young woman scampered off at the slight glare that Oliver shot in her direction.

Once she was gone Chloe extricated her hand from his. "Now tell me why that was necessary."

"I don't care for any more interruptions." Oliver answered easily as he met her gaze.

Chloe nodded. "So you really don't like cherry pie?"

"I like all types of pie. But I don't think she was just offering cherry pie." He was staring at her hand and tried to keep himself from reaching for it again.

"Yeah I could tell." She rolled her eyes at the thought. She was used to women throwing themselves at her male companions; after all she had Clark as her best friend.

"Now that we're alone again, I have a question that I have been dying to ask you since the first day we met." Oliver gave her the most charming smile.

Chloe's eyes narrowed suspiciously. "You can ask, but I can't guarantee an answer."

Oliver smiled at her reply; she was obviously used to asking the questions and not the other way around. "Is Lois Lane really your cousin, because I have to say that the two of you are…very different."

Chloe laughed out loud.

* * *

Two hours and fifteen minutes, three cups each and two slices of strawberry cheesecake. That was how long it took before Chloe glanced at her watch and saw that her coffee break became an extended lunch. That was how long it took before Oliver discovered that the beautiful Chloe Sullivan was everything he imagined she would be and more. And he couldn't help but crave her company even more.

"I have to go." Chloe said reluctantly as she got up from her chair.

Oliver stood up as well and threw a couple of bills on the table that would take care of their check. He placed a hand on the small of her back and guided her out of the coffee shop. "Might I offer you a ride?" He had a meeting in fifteen minutes but he was not ready to part ways with Chloe.

Chloe positively beamed at his offer. "I'd appreciate it."

The two of them entered the town car that was waiting by the curb. Once they were on their way to the Daily Planet, Oliver shifted in his seat so he could face her. "There is a function a few days from now. I was wondering if you'd do me the honor of accompanying me to the event."

"Now that's more like it, an actual invitation." Chloe gave him a mischievous smile.

Oliver grinned in return. "Can I take that as a yes?"

She raised a finger to her lips thoughtfully for a full minute. "I'd love to go."

Oliver did not hesitate to take her hand in his. He smiled at her, "And I wouldn't be stuck with Ms. Lane this time?"

Chloe looked at their joined hands. She shook her head. "No you won't. You'll be stuck with me instead." She grinned at him impertinently.

"Just the way I like it." He nodded in approval.

"The Daily Planet." The driver spoke quietly.

Oliver broke their gaze and got out of the vehicle. Before Chloe could even reach for the door Oliver already had it open. "I had a great time today Chloe." He uttered sincerely.

"So did I." She said shyly.

"I hope we can do it again?" He looked at her hopefully.

"I'd like that." She nodded as she met his eyes.

Oliver couldn't stop himself from smiling brightly. He raised her hand to his lips as he held their eye contact.

Chloe could feel a million butterflies in her stomach. When Oliver let go of her hand she crossed the distance between them and kissed him on the cheek. She pulled back and started for the doors to the Planet. She spared one last glance at Oliver and waved at him before disappearing from his view.

Oliver was still standing by the car, a hand on the cheek that Chloe just kissed. His smile widened, he couldn't wait until the next time he saw her.

* * *

Chloe couldn't believe the day that she'd been having. It was just coffee. Or at least it was just supposed to be coffee. She thought that perhaps the attraction that she had for the blonde billionaire was fleeting. Now she knew that it was more than attraction.

She should feel bad. After all she was still technically dating Jimmy. But then again she already told him that she was not ready for a committed relationship. They agreed that they were not exclusive, that Jimmy was free to date whoever he wanted and so was she.

As for Clark, he hadn't said anything to her so he was not part of the equation. Therefore, she was free to feel as giddy as she wanted.

She finally reached her desk. Her brows furrowed as she saw a manila folder and on top was a single pink tulip. She grabbed the folder and peered inside. What she saw made her laugh.

It was a memo that stated in no uncertain terms that Oliver Queen and Chloe Sullivan were to be on first name basis, dated four days ago. It was signed and notarized so everything was official.

TBC


	6. Have We Met?

**When Ollie met Chloe**

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

AN: I bet you guys are all surprised that it didn't take me so long to post this next chapter, well I finally decided on what will happed with this fic so I may have to attribute the early posting to that. And also the reviews from last chapter just made my day, which inspired me to write this one, although I won't make any promises on the upcoming chapters, I'd like to take this one chapter at a time. This is basically the "Arrow" episode, once again with the Chlollie twist. Thanks to tvmegasite for the episode transcripts. And I just want to say that this fic will be different from 'Watchtower', very different. It will focus more on the Chloe/Oliver dynamic and I will leave my Chlark tendencies out the door (and Chlex too). Again thanks for the reviews, I truly appreciate it. So yeah, now on with the story...

Chapter 6

_Have We Met?_

"Have I mentioned that you look positively breathtaking?" Oliver whispered to her ear as they navigated their way around the party.

Chloe eyed him with such amusement; she was wearing a dark blue strapless gown that fell to her knees. Oliver insisted on providing her with the dress for the event but she stubbornly refused. "Careful Oliver, I usually view excessive flattery with suspicion." She commented offhandedly as she allowed her gaze to roam around the room.

"Shall I tug at your pigtails to demonstrate my sincerity?" He winked as he asked her.

"Don't you dare Oliver Queen. Do you know how difficult it is to make a chignon out of my short hair?" She glared at him playfully.

"Personally I like seeing your hair down." He leaned forward, caught a loose tendril and tucked it behind her ear.

Chloe rolled her eyes and said pointedly. "Yeah well fancy up-dos are all the rage in hoity-toity parties."

"I apologize for dragging you here. I have to maintain a sense of visibility in these functions, neglecting my social duties would have ill-effects on the stocks of Queen Industries. But I thought that since you are well-acquainted with Senator Kent you could stand to be here, even if for a short while." He murmured quietly as he settled an arm around her waist and politely nodded at the people who greeted them

""Ollie! We haven't seen you in such a long time." A man's booming voice cut off their quiet conversation.

"Hello." Oliver greeted politely. He smiled at Chloe encouragingly, he was certain that Chloe was fully capable of charming each and every one of the guests of the social function.

"Hi Oliver." The woman beside the man replied just as politely.

"Mr. Westcott and his wife, Candice. I'd like to introduce you to Chloe Sullivan." Oliver looked at their companions and then at Chloe.

"Hello." She smiled courteously.

"Simon Westcott. It's my pleasure." He took Chloe's hand and raised it to his lips.

Chloe's smile became forced. "Likewise. I believe I see an acquaintance of mine, if you'll excuse me." She graced them with one final smile and started to walk away, only to be stopped by a hand on her arm.

"Candice. Simon." Oliver nodded at the two and then hooked Chloe's arm through his. "So who is this acquaintance that you just saw?" He asked her once the couple was out of the earshot.

"I'm sure I know someone here." She responded airily, not quite meeting his gaze.

"Problem with Westcott?" He eyed her expectantly.

"I have to say he was extremely eloquent at the Congressional indictment hearings." She wrinkled her nose in distaste.

Oliver shook his head smilingly. "It appears that you and your cousin share the same opinion of Simon Westcott." He looked pointedly at Lois and the Westcotts' direction. "The only difference is that she requires more lessons in propriety.

Chloe smiled and shrugged helplessly. Lois was blunt, she expressed her opinion even without prompting, but that was what she loved about her cousin, she was a breath of fresh air among people who consistently keep everything they were feeling inside.

"Night and day." Oliver shook his head, took one last look at Lois and co. and steered them towards Mrs. Kent.

"Chloe you look beautiful." Mrs. Kent took her hand and smiled at her warmly.

"So do you Mrs. Kent." She grinned in reply.

"Oliver, lovely to see you again." Mrs. Kent focused her attention on Oliver.

"Nice to see you too Senator, great turnout." He nodded approvingly as he took a look around.

"I suppose it is." Mrs. Kent replied smilingly.

"Beautiful necklace by the way. I'm going to get us something to drink." He smiled at Mrs. Kent and kissed Chloe on the cheek before taking off.

Chloe and Mrs. Kent watched as Oliver disappeared from their view. "So?" Mrs. Kent looked at Chloe expectantly. She liked to think that she had a role in what was developing between her son's best friend and the young tycoon.

Chloe smiled shyly. "Your necklace is truly beautiful." She commented offhandedly.

Mrs. Kent simply looked at Chloe and nodded. She touched the necklace around her neck and shrugged. "Lionel let me borrow this for the evening."

Chloe frowned slightly. "Are you sure it's wise to be involved with Mr. Luthor?"

"I completely understand why you're wary of Lionel. Don't worry dear; I am not naïve when it comes with the Luthors." She patted Chloe's arm and smiled.

Before they could go further with the conversation Lionel called the attention of the entire party. The two women exchanged looks and focused their eyes on the senior Luthor.

"I'd like to thank you all for coming tonight. I hope you're having a splendid time and that you've had the chance to reconnect with old friends. Right now, though, I'd like to introduce you to someone who I hope will be a new friend, a valuable new friend, someone I'm sure you'll be glad to have on your side. Ladies and gentlemen, may I introduce to you our Kansas State Senator and your future United States Senator, Martha Kent." Lionel smiled warmly at Mrs. Kent.

Chloe fought the intense urge to roll her eyes and clapped her hands, along with the rest of the crowd.

"Woo-ho!" Lois yelled as she stopped right next to Chloe. Chloe smiled in exasperation and continued applauding.

"Thank you very much." Martha smiled at Lionel and then directed her attention to the rest of the partygoers. Before she could say more the lights went out, which inspired loud screams from the guests.

Chloe immediately took out her phone from her purse so she could at least have a light source. She flashed her phone around and saw a dark figure near Mrs. Kent. She ran towards Clark's mom and slammed into human wall. She heard the wall thank Mrs. Kent.

"I beg your pardon." A distorted voice muttered as a hand settled around her waist. Chloe's brows furrowed, there was something familiar about the man, and the person was definitely a man. Before she could react he ran off, leaving her staring after him.

"Chloe he stole the necklace." Mrs. Kent woke her from her stupor.

"He what!" Lois, who was right beside her the entire time, shouted sharply and took off after the thief.

"I'll call Clark." Chloe whispered to Mrs. Kent and followed after Lois. She was glad that she already had her phone out and simply pressed a number to contact Clark.

"Chloe?" Clark asked over the phone, seemingly confused since he knew that Chloe was attending a party with some guy that she knew.

"Clark, someone just stole a necklace from your mom." Chloe murmured quietly as she maneuvered around the crowd in order to catch up with Lois.

"I'll be right there." Clark replied and hung up on her.

"Right." She put her phone back into her purse.

"Hey! Give me the necklace!" She heard Lois shout at the bandit. Their surroundings were truly dark that she could not make out any of the features of the man. She was a few feet away from the two of them and she was about to add her two cents in.

"You forgot to say please." Chloe could practically hear the amusement in his voice, despite the voice distorter that he was obviously using. Without another word he took out some gadget and disappeared into the night. She had to give him credit; it was obvious that he knew what he was doing.

As if he coordinated everything the moment that he was completely gone, the lights flickered back on. She and Lois exchanged wide eyed looks.

* * *

"I couldn't ID the guy; he didn't exactly stick around to chat." Lois retorted sarcastically to the security officer. 

"Besides it was pitch black. He made sure to cut off the lights." Chloe added with a slight edge to her tone.

The night just suddenly got interesting but before she could launch into reporter mode Safetex Security, the security company hired by Lionel Luthor so what just occurred would never happen, refused to let her and Lois go. Apparently having direct contact with the criminal made them perfect for interrogation, never mind that she did not actually see the guy.

"You told Mr. Luthor that you almost caught the guy. Yet you expect me to believe that you didn't see anything?" The security officer was not cowering, which was what he should be doing when confronted by a Sullivan-Lane combo.

Chloe glared daggers at the guy; he was being a complete ass.

"Look, Lionel Luthor pays Safetex, what, a gazillion dollars for personal security? So don't blame me if you let a boy scout with an archery badge crash his party." Lois remarked bitingly as she too glared at the security officer.

"I think Miss Lane has made her point, wouldn't you say? She'll call you if she remembers anything. Good evening." Oliver, who was standing by Chloe, intervened. He nodded at the man in dismissal and obviously when THE NOD came from a billionaire it automatically meant 'go away.'

The man left the three of them. Chloe looked at Oliver sourly. "That sucks."

Oliver raised a brow at her declaration. "I got rid of him for you." He replied pointedly.

"Yeah." Chloe nodded admittedly. "But it sucks that he wouldn't listen to us but he listened to you, bunch of incompetent jerks." She scoffed disdainfully.

Oliver smiled as he slipped an arm around her waist. "If it'll make you feel any better, Safetex Security is not on my payroll."

Chloe wrinkled her nose and then returned his smile. "It does, just a little bit."

Lois cleared her throat to attract their attention. They both looked at her expectantly. "If you'll excuse me, I just nabbed the story of my life. William Tell is not the only one who walked away with a serious party favor. So I'll leave the two of you to all that lovey-dovey stuff and catch this guy." She informed them before walking away.

Oliver and Chloe exchanged looks and then burst into laughter.

"Mr. Queen." An unassuming man interrupted their mirth.

"Clark." Chloe blurted out and pulled away from Oliver's hold. She hugged her best friend and whispered, "What took you so long? He got away."

"I couldn't get past the security. They have a record of all the guests. I had to wait to get in." Clark whispered back.

She finally let go of him but not before telling him that they would talk more later. She was about to direct him to where his mom was when Oliver gave her an expectant look. "Oh, where are my manners? Oliver this is my best friend, Clark Kent. Clark this is Oliver Queen."

Oliver gave her a weird look before extending his hand out to shake Clark's hand. "Nice to meet you, Clark. Chloe has never mentioned you before."

"Nice to meet you too, Oliver. Maybe because she barely knows you." Clark replied as he shook Oliver's proffered hand.

"Time out." Chloe let out a nervous laugh. She gave Clark a look that clearly asked what was wrong with him. She faced Oliver and gave him a scolding glance for starting the conversation with such a comment. The last thing she wanted was a disagreement between her best friend and the man she was dating. Besides, they had a mystery to solve.

"So what exactly are you doing here Clark, you're not exactly dressed for a black tie event." Oliver eyed his plaid shirt and jeans.

"Oliver." Chloe said sternly.

"The only reason I'm here is to get that necklace back. Last thing I want is for my mom to be indebted to Lionel Luthor." Clark replied coolly.

"I called Clark earlier and I told him what happened. He was in the neighborhood so I told him to stop by." Chloe explained as she looked around the room for Mrs. Kent.

""She really should have thought of that before she accepted his help with her fundraising. Oh and if you're championing the cause of pick-pocketed billionaires, you might want to add a few more to the list." Oliver commented offhandedly.

Chloe glared at him at his comment about Mrs. Kent. "I think I see your mom Clark." The encounter was not going well at all. Need to abort, she added mentally.

"Are you saying that Lionel Luthor's not the only victim?" Clark folded his arms across his chest and gave Oliver a measured look.

"Over a dozen of Metropolis' who's whos have been hit recently." Oliver assumed the same stance as Clark.

"Good, then there's some leads." Clark nodded optimistically.

"Not if all the victims were as uncooperative as Lionel Luthor. Note the absence of the Metropolis PD." Oliver gestured around them.

"Okay. If you guys are done I would really like to get out of here." Chloe interjected archly.

"I'll go get my mom and then we can go." Clark finally spotted his mom, he looked at Chloe expectantly.

Oliver looked about ready to protest. "Actually… Oliver's giving me a ride home." Chloe interrupted before they could engage in another round of male posturing. "I'll see you tomorrow." She gave him a loaded look before hooking her arm through Oliver's.

"Okay." Clark nodded reluctantly and walked away from them.

"I hate to inform you alienating the best friend is the worst way to ingratiate yourself to the woman you're dating." Chloe informed him as they walked out of the party.

"He wasn't exactly exuding the best friend aura." He observed dryly.

"Well he is my best friend. And if we hope to keep doing this…" She shot a meaningful glance at their interlocked arms. "Then you'll have to try and get along with Clark. He really is a nice guy."

"For you I'll do anything. I promise to make nice with Clark the next time I see him." Oliver smiled down at her.

Chloe rolled her eyes but smiled anyway, she appreciated the fact that he was going to make an effort.

"So…I apologize for what happened this evening." Oliver muttered quietly as they left the building.

Chloe shook her head. "That wasn't your fault. You didn't plan to have some thief crash the party."

"Is that what you think of the man?" Oliver asked with such interest.

"What else should am I supposed to think? He did steal the necklace, from Mrs. Kent. Mrs. Kent is everything good and pure in this world." Chloe said with such feeling.

"I don't know. He seemed to target the rich and famous. It's not like Lionel Luthor would miss some piece of jewelry." He commented offhandedly.

"I'm not a big fan of Mr. Luthor. But still maybe if he didn't pick on Mrs. Kent I wouldn't be judging him harshly. He did have some cool moves." She admitted halfheartedly.

Oliver smiled widely. "Cool moves?" He raised a brow at her comment.

"Yeah, he took out some arrow gadget and shot out some rope thing that got him out of the building. It was…cool." She replied defensively.

Oliver's smile widened even more. "You are one amazing woman."

Chloe frowned slightly. "I like weird things. Sue me."

"I won't. I'm just amazed that even after calling the man a thief you can still admit that you think that he was cool." Oliver assisted her into the car and then sat next to her.

"Well I give credit when credit is due. Besides, he apologized when he bumped into me before making a run for it. If a man can still be courteous even under extreme duress, then he may not be as bad as Lois thinks. And any offense against the Luthors is okay by me. I will still try to find out who he is, if only to slap him for yanking the necklace from Mrs. Kent's neck."

"He has to apologize for that then, in order to be in your good graces?" Oliver took her hand in his and unconsciously rubbed his thumb on the back of her hand.

"I guess. I'm more inclined with the slapping though." She laughed softly.

"An acceptance of the slap and an apology, would that suffice?" Oliver smiled at Chloe.

"Maybe." Chloe shrugged as she stared out the window. "I had fun tonight." She declared quietly.

"I enjoyed the company." Oliver gave her a significant look.

"Yeah, the company was memorable. Although I never did find out where you were when 'William Tell' appeared." She shot him a curious gaze.

"I was otherwise occupied. Simon Westcott trapped me by the drinks table." He admitted ruefully.

"Maybe we should restrict ourselves to coffee dates. We seem to have more success when we're one on one." She grinned at him.

"One on one, I like the sound of that. However, just because the night ended rather abruptly we shouldn't just give up. Besides, we have other options that we have yet to explore. I believe that the possibilities are endless." Oliver smirked at her.

"Is that your random way of asking me out to another date?" Her eyes sparkled with such amusement.

"No." Oliver shook his head.

"No?" Chloe gave him a dubious look.

"Will you do me the honor of having dinner with me tomorrow night? That was me asking you out on a date." He kissed the back of her hand.

"Then this is me saying yes." She said quietly before kissing him chastely on the lips.

Oliver moved to deepen the kiss but Chloe pulled back. "We'll see how dinner turns out first." She smiled giddily.

TBC


	7. Secret Identities and Intrepid Reporters

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

AN: See this is why I don't make any promises on any of my stories. I knew that my early posting of the last chapter would affect the next chappie. Sorry for the long delay, too much stuff going on. Thanks again to everyone who reviewed the last chapter. I appreciate the feedback and hopefully you guys will enjoy this update. This chapter is still within the episode 'Arrow', thanks to tvmegasite for the episode transcripts, I am using some of the dialogue from the show and adding my own to the story. What else? Oh yeah, this chapter is for **Diane** (pipersmum). Happy First Anniversary!!!! I hope you have a wonderful day tomorrow (Sunday) and thanks for your message, it was exactly what I needed to get to writing. And now on with the story...

Chapter 7

_Secret Identities and Intrepid Reporters_

"Hey." Lois greeted as she entered the basement of the Daily Planet.

"Let me guess, you need help researching your next article." Chloe smiled as she looked up from her computer.

"Yeah, the Inquisitor's search engine consists of a highlighter and the yellow pages." Lois smiled ruefully as she sat down across from her.

"Does Mrs. Kent know that you're still moonlighting on her?" Chloe asked as she finally focused on her cousin.

"Are you kidding me? I've got this double-identity thing down. And besides, I told her all about it this morning." Lois grinned at her.

Chloe laughed softly. "Alright, so what's the story that's bringing out an entirely different side to Lois?"

Lois looked hesitant for a second. "Actually you know, now that we're both at the same biz I probably shouldn't be leaking my story."

Chloe raised a brow at her statement. "I can't believe you don't trust me." She was slightly offended. The days that she put a story above everything were long gone. After finding out about Clark she realized that some stories are best left out of the public eye, especially if the subject was saving lives on a daily basis.

"It's not all of you I don't trust. It's just one little side of you." Lois said admittedly.

"This is about what happened last night, right? Seeing as you got more up close and personal with the criminal you totally deserve to write this story, so I won't scoop you okay? Besides, I'm just as interested in unmasking this guy." Chloe replied emphatically.

Lois looked skeptical for a long moment before nodding. "Okay. I got this from the scumbag before he ran away." She handed Chloe a ring. "He was wearing it around his neck, there's some writing inside but it's too faded to make out."

Chloe eyed the ring thoughtfully. She saw what Lois was talking about, the writing was indeed incomprehensible. "Yeah, this could take a little while." She took out her digital camera and took a couple of pictures. She plugged in the camera to her computer and started to upload the photos. "I think you'll have to wait until tomorrow. I need to get going soon." Chloe looked at her watch and nodded.

"Hot date?" Lois asked teasingly.

Chloe's eyes narrowed at her tone. "It's just dinner Lois. Get that mind of your out of the gutter."

Lois held up her hands in surrender. "I was asking if the man you're dating is going to be hot. You're the one who has her mind in the gutter." Lois commented as she leaned back on her chair.

Chloe rolled her eyes. "I'm having dinner with Oliver." She answered distractedly.

"So…what about that other guy Jack or something?" Lois picked up a pen from Chloe's desk and fiddled with it.

"His name's Jimmy. Come to think of it he hasn't asked me out since that one time we were in Smallville." Chloe's brows furrowed as she thought about it. They were not exclusive and while Jimmy seemed disappointed he also seemed determined to win her over. But so far he hadn't done anything to tip the scales in his favor.

"So the blond billionaire it is then?" Lois was back to her teasing.

"Lois." Chloe said warningly. "I'm just taking it one date at a time."

"Oh come on! You don't expect me to believe that you've been able to resist the charms of Oliver Queen." Lois looked at her disbelievingly.

Chloe held her head high and answered. "That's exactly what I'm saying. Besides it's actually nice going out with him. He's very smart, good conversationalist and he's very funny, wry sense of humor actually, which is something that I appreciate."

"You forgot to mention that he's gorgeous." Lois pointed out with a wide smile on her face.

Chloe shook her head in exasperation and smiled.

* * *

Oliver needed to get the ring back. It was a family heirloom. He could not remember a moment that he was without it. So he had been trailing Lois Lane since she left the Inquisitor. He muttered a curse when he realized that she was heading to the Daily Planet. Still he had to get the ring back. 

He entered the basement and remained inconspicuous. The cousins were talking. He was so intent on getting his possession back that he mostly ignored the exchange, although he did take a moment to observe Chloe. She looked beautiful as always and he was looking forward to enjoying her company after he retrieved the ring from her cousin.

Oliver checked the time and wondered how long before Lois left the building.

"So…what about the other guy Jack or something?" He heard Lois ask Chloe. His interest was piqued. Oliver knew about the nature of his growing relationship with Chloe. She specifically told him that they were not seeing each other exclusively. He hoped to change her mind by sweeping her off her feet.

"His name's Jimmy. Come to think of it he hasn't asked me out since that one time we were in Smallville."

Oliver frowned. So he actually had competition. Jimmy, he wondered who this guy was exactly. He just had to make sure to inform this Jimmy that there was in no way that he would lose Chloe to someone who hadn't even made any effort at all.

The conversation shifted to him and he felt a little uncomfortable hearing what Chloe thought of him. He grabbed an arrow from his quiver. Oliver initially had no intention of using his arrow to knock Lois unconscious but it seemed like his only choice. He had a date to get to and Lois did not seem like she was going anywhere.

He shot the arrow directly onto a nearby wall and waited until the two women were completely knocked out. He grabbed the ring, mission accomplished.

He knew he should get going already. But he couldn't help himself. He stopped right beside Chloe and just stared at her. He brushed her hair back and smiled. Chloe Sullivan was beautiful even when she was out cold. Oliver had to make a conscious effort to leave. After one last look at Chloe he ran out of the basement.

* * *

"The Green Arrow Bandit," Oliver read the paper as he and Chloe walked into the restaurant. "doesn't really roll off the tongue." He said critically as he assisted Chloe onto her chair. 

Their dinner plans the night before was cancelled because of the 'Green Arrow Bandit,' Oliver had to take Chloe and Lois to the hospital, at the latter's insistence, to make sure that the gas that the Green Arrow Bandit used was not fatal. So Oliver asked Chloe the night before if they could have lunch the next day instead.

"I told Lois to drop the 'bandit'. Green Arrow felt like a better fit to me." Chloe shrugged as she smiled up at him.

Oliver took a seat across from her and nodded. "Green Arrow, it does have a certain ring to it. Too bad you didn't write the story."

Chloe rolled her eyes at him. "This is Lois' story. Besides, I think this guy has a bit of a crush on her."

Oliver looked at her skeptically. "I don't think so. You've had run-ins with him as well; I could say that he has a thing for you."

Chloe shook her head in disagreement. "Last thing I need is some masked vigilante after me. And Lois is the one who's truly had actual 'run ins' with the Green Arrow."

"Vigilante?" Oliver raised a brow at her choice of words.

"Yeah, I know what the papers are saying. But from my own investigation-"

"I thought this wasn't your story." Oliver commented teasingly.

"It may not be my story but I believe in the advantage of research, even if the story isn't mine. Besides I'm just doing this to satisfy my own curiosity. I may be a reporter but I do believe that certain things aren't meant to be published." Chloe told him pointedly.

Oliver leaned forward, "Did you just lose some reporter points for saying that out loud?" He asked conspiratorially.

She laughed softly at his question. "Maybe, but I probably gained some points as a human being."

He smiled at her. "You are unlike any reporter that I have ever met."

"Can I take that as a compliment or was that an insult?" She inquired wryly.

"I may have to go back to charm school if you had to ask if I was complimenting you." Oliver raked a hand through his hair as he smirked at her. "And yes, it was definitely a compliment."

Chloe beamed at him. "Thank you." She replied graciously.

"So what else is occupying your time, besides the Green Arrow?" Oliver nodded at the waiter, as a glass of wine was placed before him.

Chloe smiled at the waiter and then focused her attention back on him. "Well, Met U is still under construction so school's out for awhile. I have the Daily Planet." She had to stop herself from blurting out her other 'hobbies,' like playing sidekick to her super friend. "That's it basically." She picked up the menu and surveyed the selection idly. She took note of the fact that the price was completely absent from the list. Of course price was negligible for the blond billionaire before her.

He nodded at her answer. "So you're not so busy these days." He was glad to hear that she had plenty of spare time.

"Hardly." Chloe replied archly. "I still technically live in Smallville; the commute alone is exhausting. And the internship at the Daily Planet is hardly a walk in the park. Do you know how hard it is to get a byline at the DP, particularly if you're just a lowly intern?"

"I have a feeling that was a rhetorical question." His comment came out more like a question.

"It requires hard work, but it'll be worth it in the long run." Chloe said with such conviction.

"You're going to become a brilliant journalist Chloe." Oliver declared with conviction that equaled hers.

Chloe put her menu down and eyed him with barely concealed amusement. "You seem so sure."

Oliver picked up his wineglass and drank from it deliberately before replying. "I am."

Chloe leaned back on her chair. "Why? Why are you so sure?" She looked at him with such interest.

Before he could answer the waiter arrived with a plate of hors d'oeuvres. "Monsieur Queen, Chef Delacour would be honored to prepare your meal." The waiter said quietly.

"Very well then, you can give him my permission to prepare whatever he wishes." Oliver replied in dismissal. He refocused his attention back on Chloe.

"What was that all about?" Confusion painted her entire expression.

"Just an arrogant way to impose their will on us." Oliver whispered his answer conspiratorially.

"Whose will?" Chloe eyed him speculatively.

"The chefs. They think they know better than their customers. That was a not so subtle attempt to get us to eat what he thinks would impress us the most." Oliver shrugged in reply.

"Don't you mean impress you?" Chloe countered dryly.

Oliver nodded absently. "In response to your earlier inquiry, I've read everything that you have ever written."

"That's it. That's why you think I'll be a brilliant journalist." Chloe used air quotes to emphasize her point.

"Your writing style, well it is quite impeccable. I did notice your penchant for investigating the abnormal and I have to say-"

"I know I'm weird. And I had to do a lot of work to be considered for an internship at the Planet. My journalistic career in high school gave me quite a reputation, but I stand by all my stories." Chloe interjected, slightly defensive.

"I was going to say that your less than normal stories were quite compelling. And your facts seemed sound." Oliver declared with such candor.

Chloe eyed him suspiciously. "Really?"

"Yes really. I'm not simply saying that because I am interested in you, which I am. I think you're an amazing writer and I am quite certain that you will succeed in your chosen profession." Oliver reached out to take her hand in his and squeezed it reassuringly.

Chloe gave him a small smile. "I appreciate the vote of confidence."

The two of them stared at each other for a long moment before the waiter interrupted them. They exchanged smiles as they were served their food.

"So what are your plans for tonight?" Oliver asked her with such interest once they were alone again.

Chloe smiled at him questioningly. "I have a wild night all planned out."

"Do you?" He inquired coolly.

"Wild night manning the tip line, and if I'm lucky I might even get to write an obituary or two." She declared with false excitement.

Oliver grinned at her. "How ever will you fit me into your busy schedule? Here I was hoping that I could drop by, maybe bring you a cup of coffee or three." He smiled at her charmingly.

Chloe set her fork down and looked at him thoughtfully. "I'd like that." She smiled at him affectionately.

"I guess…it's a date then?" He shot her a teasing look.

Chloe laughed as Oliver raised her hand to his lips.

* * *

He stood atop the Daily Planet. In two hours he had to be inside the building, armed with a couple of cups of coffee for Chloe. But for now he had a mission. 

He gave the building across from the Daily Planet a once over, a security guy was stuffing his face at the ground floor of the building. He had to make sure that the coast was clear before he fired an arrow attached with a cable. Once he was certain that everything was secure, he rappelled towards the structure and rolled onto his side to make sure that his landing remained quiet.

Oliver breathed in and eyed the green laser dancing around the room. He grabbed a gem-tipped arrow from his back and aimed for the machine emitting the lights. He managed to effectively disperse the alarm.

He jogged towards the statue of an Egyptian woman and grabbed the necklace hanging around her neck. He carefully wrapped it with a cloth and then pocketed it. Oliver grinned slightly. He could finally go and maybe visit Chloe earlier than he expected.

He turned around and found that he was no longer alone. His brows furrowed at the sight that greeted him. It was Clark Kent, Chloe's best friend. Now why would he be there? Oliver wondered idly.

"Who are you?" Clark asked him in such a steely tone.

"Haven't you heard? I'm the Green Arrow." Oliver replied in the same tone.

"Don't you mean the Green Arrow Bandit?" Clark countered dryly.

"I decided to drop the bandit." He retorted easily.

"Well… I hope you enjoyed your cult status while it lasted." Clark took a few steps towards him.

"I think you're taking the whole neighborhood watch thing a little too seriously." Oliver moved to leave but Clark put up a hand to stop him. Oliver took a step back and gave him a measured look. He promised Chloe that the next time he saw Clark that he would be nicer. But the promise came from Oliver Queen. At that exact moment he was the Green Arrow and he had a mission to finish.

He raised a fist with great reluctance. He just intended on knocking Clark unconscious but Clark blocked his move easily and shot him an angry look. The next thing he knew he was propelled backwards, triggering the alarm and breaking a statue in the process. He got up carefully and looked at Clark incredulously. Lucky for him his shades hid his every expression.

"That was fun." He was back on his feet. "Looks like I'm not the only one with a secret. I hate to break it to you tough guy, but you're on the wrong side." He remarked sardonically. He wondered if Chloe knew that her best friend was stronger than ten men.

"I'm not sure the police would agree." Clark snapped back.

"Look around you, Beav. The days of the good guys running the show are over." Oliver took a step towards the morally superior farm boy. He had to get going. The longer they stayed conversing the higher the likelihood that he'll get caught.

He fired an arrow meant to disarm Clark but Clark caught it easily. He stared at the small arrow in wonder and then shifted his gaze onto him. Oliver was stupefied. Clark Kent was certainly quick but the fact that he was unaffected by the electric shock, well it boggled his mind. He fired another arrow and in a blink of an eye Clark managed to dodge it effortlessly. The arrow managed to hit a security guy who just rushed into the room. Clark hurried towards the fallen man; Oliver saw his opportunity to make a run for it and took it.

* * *

"So…how'd you let this guy slip through your fingers?" Chloe asked Clark teasingly. 

"This Green Arrow Bandit's got a lot of gadgets." Clark replied defensively.

"I know he does have some cool stuff." She nodded in agreement. "But I can't imagine anyone winning against the man of steel." Chloe smiled at him widely.

"He's good, all right?" He huffed in annoyance.

Chloe shot him a puzzled look. "Fine, backing off. Green Arrow Bandit, I told Lois to drop the bandit. It certainly sounds way better if we just call him the Green Arrow." She sat back on her chair and tinkered with her computer.

"You know you sound just like him." Clark commented offhandedly as he sat down next to her.

Her brows furrowed as she looked at him. "Explain."

"He told me that he decided to drop the bandit. He called himself the Green Arrow." Clark ran a hand through his hair and she knew then just how disturbed he was by what occurred between him and the Green Arrow.

"Hey, don't worry about it okay? He just took you by surprise, is all. The next time you encounter that bandit I'm sure that you'll come out the winner." Chloe patted his arm reassuringly.

Clark smiled at her. "Thanks Chlo'."

She smiled back at him. "I'm your best friend, comes with the package, this cheerleader role. Anyway, we're going to make sure that the next time you meet the Green Arrow you're ready to kick some green butt."

"We are?" Clark looked at her with such amusement.

Chloe nodded in the affirmative. "I got the Safetex report on the arrows that he used. They're made from titanium alloy that is untraceable."

"What about the ring?" Clark asked her hopefully.

"None of the shots I scanned came out to have a clean image. My computer is compiling all the shots to render a new one though, so we may have a lead." She replied evenly.

Clark shook his head smilingly. "Amazing."

Chloe shot him a questioning look.

"I just think that your investigative skills just keep getting better and better." Clark answered her unspoken question.

"Yeah, well." She just shrugged in reply.

Clark remained quiet, too quiet that Chloe looked up from what she was doing and found that he was staring blankly into space.

"Hey Clark, are you okay?" Chloe touched his arm lightly.

Clark blinked and smiled at her. "Yeah, I was just thinking."

Chloe looked at him thoughtfully. "About what?"

"It's just-"

"Delivery for one Chloe Sullivan, intrepid reporter." Oliver stepped into the basement of the Daily Planet. He was carrying a tray of large cups of coffee on one hand and bag on the other.

Chloe and Clark both looked up at the same time. Clark's brow furrowed at the sight of Oliver Queen while Chloe grinned at his appearance.

"Aren't you early?" Chloe glanced at her watch and got up from her chair to meet him halfway.

"I had a feeling that you would appreciate an early delivery." He replied as she hooked her arm through his and guided him towards her desk.

"Well you're right. I could definitely use caffeine right about now." She responded brightly.

Oliver placed his proffered gifts on her desk and handed her a cup of coffee, which she accepted gratefully. He was too focused on her that when he moved to get a cup of his own he was surprised to see Clark frowning at him.

"Clark." He greeted the other man quietly.

"Oliver." Clark responded in kind.

"Wow. You two will certainly become the greatest friends." Chloe rolled her eyes at their greeting.

Oliver and Clark exchanged amused looks before remembering themselves. Oliver offered Clark a cup of coffee, which he accepted with a muttered thanks.

"So how's the tip line this evening?" Oliver leaned a hip against her desk as he asked her with such interest.

"Well, I got a call from one housewife; she said she definitely saw an alien on the top of the roof across from her apartment building. And then there was a sighting of Big Foot at Metropolis Park. Oh, and someone spotted the Green Arrow lurking around the neighborhood." Chloe answered wryly.

Clark shot her a scowl but she merely shrugged in return.

"A Green Arrow sighting? Where?" Oliver looked at her and then at Clark. He had a feeling that Clark was the one that Chloe was talking about. And for the second time that evening he wondered if Chloe knew about super Clark.

"The building across from us actually and I have a feeling that it wasn't for a social call." Clark remarked in a hard tone.

"Well Lois did dub him as a bandit and he did steal the necklace from Mrs. Kent." She informed Oliver.

"If I could remember correctly you thought he was cool." Oliver gave Chloe a knowing look.

"You thought he's cool?" Clark's voice rose a degree higher as he shot her a look filled with accusation.

Chloe glared at Oliver. "Yeah, well he does have some pretty cool gadgets." She replied defensively.

"But he's a thief!" Clark frowned at her.

Chloe returned his frown. "Relax Clark. I'm not commending the actions of the man. And he totally deserved to rot in jail… if he hadn't been stealing items that were only in the possession of the current owners because they bought it off the black market." She finished archly.

"How do you know that?" Oliver asked, he was impressed by her deduction. So far all the items that 'he' had stolen were all artifacts bought by millionaires illegally, with illicit funds.

She positively beamed at his question, responding to his tone. "I have my sources." She replied mischievously.

Oliver grinned at her. "I'm sure you do." He said in a low tone.

Chloe bit her lip as she jabbed his side gently. Oliver laughed quietly.

"Do you guys want me to go or something?" Clark interrupted their playful exchange.

'Would you?' Oliver kept the question to himself.

Chloe rolled her eyes. "No."

"Because I can go." Clark got up from his chair and looked at the two of them expectantly.

Oliver raised his hands up in surrender. "I have no problem with your presence, none whatsoever." Play nice, that was his order. He had to ensure that he and Clark remained civil, if only to ensure his continued presence in Chloe's life.

"That's good to know. Because I want to go and see a movie." Chloe flashed a wide smile at the two of them.

Clark and Oliver exchanged confused looks before focusing their attention back on her.

"I want to see a movie with my best friend." She said as she hooked her arm through Clark's. "And the guy I'm seeing." She linked her other arm through Oliver's.

Oliver's brows furrowed. "Do you think it's a good idea?" Maybe it was selfish of him but he preferred spending time with Chloe without the presence of someone else. After all their success rate was higher when their encounters were one on one.

Clark shook his head. "Yeah, I don't think it's a good idea. I mean we don't normally hang out…with other people." He shot Chloe a meaningful look and a glare at Oliver.

"This is precisely why we should all go out and watch a movie together. I don't want to have to divide my time between my friends and…guys that I date. It's more efficient this way." She looked at them sternly.

"Chloe-" Clark and Oliver said her name at exactly the same time.

"Okay, you guys don't have to go with me. I'm perfectly satisfied going on my own." Chloe disentangled herself from the two men and started gathering her stuff, completely serious about going off to a movie on her own.

"Fine. Let's go see a movie." Clark said in defeat.

"I have a better idea. Why don't you tell me what you want to watch and I'll have my people send it to my place. That way we can watch a movie in comfort." Oliver tried to keep out the same defeatist tone that was in Clark's voice.

"See that's the spirit! We're going to have so much fun. Trust me." She winked at Clark as she handed him her bag that contained her laptop. She flashed a smile at Oliver as she led the two out of the basement of the Daily Planet.

TBC


	8. Kidnappings and Discoveries

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

AN: And here's another update! Thanks to everyone who took the time to review the last chapter, always appreciate the feedback. I'm glad that you guys are enjoying this fic. Once again, this chapter still falls under the 'Arrow' episode. This is the last part actually, and once again credit to **tvmegasite** for the episode transcript. With that said, on with the story...

Chapter 8

_Kidnappings and Discoveries_

"So?" Lois asked her loudly over the phone.

"It was…a little awkward." Chloe replied tiredly as she sat back on her chair. It was almost six in the evening. The basement was almost empty, save for a few interns who were already packing up for the night.

"Was it?" Lois' tone was filled with amusement.

Chloe sighed. "Yeah, I think they spent the better part of the movie glaring at each other. I don't know why they were acting so weird."

Lois laughed boisterously. "Oh my poor impressionable cousin! It's obvious that they're jealous of each other." She replied pointedly.

"Well, I still don't get why!" She countered defensively.

"Come on Chloe, you know why." Lois said with a hint of exasperation.

"Maybe I do." She said quietly. "But they just have to get used to each other. I really like Oliver. And if Clark is really my best friend he would want me to be happy. And if Oliver likes me then he'll try to get along with Clark."

"Go cuz!" Lois shouted jubilantly.

Chloe rolled her eyes. "Okay so where are you now?" She shifted the topic back to Lois.

After the article on the Green Arrow came out a number of reporters were coming after Lois, hoping to pick her brain. And Lois being Lois, informed them that the masked man was her story and that she was not about to give the competition the upper hand.

"I'm at the apartment. I don't think I can make a trip to Metropolis tonight." Lois answered distractedly.

"Oh, okay. I guess I'll see you tomorrow then?" Chloe asked eagerly. It had been a while since she and Lois hang out. Majority of her time had been divided between Oliver and Clark; she desperately needed some girl time.

"Will do. Sick of the men folk?" Lois inquired teasingly.

"Just a tad." She responded good-humoredly. Chloe looked around her and rolled her eyes when she found the basement already empty. These days it seemed like she was the only one burning the midnight oil. She had another hour before Grace, a fellow intern, had to come in to man the tip line. Another hour before Oliver made his appearance for their date.

"Details tomorrow-"

"Lois?" Chloe said uncertainly, for a second she thought that the call was simply dropped.

"Chloe! Chloe help!" She heard Lois scream. Chloe shouted her name helplessly before the connection was cut off.

Her hand shook as she dialed Clark's number. "Clark! Lois is in trouble." She uttered hoarsely.

"I'm on it." She hardly heard Clark's response.

Chloe walked towards her chair unsteadily. Her heart was beating a mile a minute and she could feel a panic attack coming on. She sat down and forced herself to breathe, but to no avail. She reached for the drawers, hoping that somewhere inside she hid a paper bag. Hyperventilating, while one was alone, hardly counted as an ideal situation. Her panic was mounting as each second passed that she was without a paper bag.

The next thing she knew Jimmy was crouched down next to her, encouraging her to take slow deep breaths. He must have found a paper bag somewhere in her drawer. She eyed him gratefully as he gently brushed her hair back.

"It's okay." He murmured softly.

She nodded as she breathed through the bag. When she finally felt calm enough, she put down the bag and gave Jimmy a small smile. "Thanks." She said croakily.

"No big, bright eyes!" He patted her arm awkwardly. "So what's wrong?" His eyes were filled with such concern.

Just before she could answer her computer flashed a message. Now that her panic was over she shifted into control mode. She focused her attention on the computer before her and saw that she finally got a clear image of the Green Arrow's ring. And just as she was about to call Clark, her phone rang.

"Chloe, it's too late. There's no sign of her." Clark told her worriedly.

Chloe took deep breaths, panicking again was the last thing she needed. She was back in control now; Lois needed her to be in control. For some reason the first thing that came to her mind was the Green Arrow. It was quite possible that Lois was kidnapped because of the green vigilante. "I might have something that will help. I finally got a clear image of the Green Arrow's ring. I'm sending it to you right now." She clicked a few buttons, uploaded the image to her cellphone and sent it directly to Clark. "It's a family crest; problem is that the crest-makers of old weren't particularly creative. There are thousand of these, it's gonna take me a while to track this one down." Chloe tried to keep the frustration from her voice.

"I've seen this before." Clark replied.

Before Chloe could even question him on where exactly he saw the crest he hung up on her. She stared at her phone before hitting the end button. She knew Clark would do everything in his power to save Lois. For now she had a mission, she had to figure out who could have taken Lois.

"Umm, Chloe." Jimmy began hesitantly.

Chloe looked up from her computer. She finally remembered that Jimmy was there. She eyed him questioningly before shifting her gaze back on her computer.

"What's going on? I got here and you almost passed out. Is everything okay?" He placed a comforting hand on her arm.

She took a fortifying breath, "Lois has been kidnapped."

* * *

Oliver stopped in his tracks. He blinked once and saw the very same thing that kept him from moving forward. Chloe was sitting on her desk and some guy had his arm around her. He squared his shoulders and marched on. He and Chloe discussed the fact that they were free to see other people. But majority of the time the two of them were together. He felt a flash of annoyance at the evidence of their non-relationship status. There must be some way to remedy that. 

He was a foot away and the two still hadn't noticed his presence. He cleared his throat loudly and the couple finally looked up.

Chloe's eyes widened. She practically shrugged off the unidentified guy, flew right into his arms and buried her face against his chest. He looked at the man questioningly as his arms automatically wrapped around her.

"Her cousin has been kidnapped." The man said somewhat grudgingly.

Oliver gently pulled back from her and caressed her cheek tenderly.

"Someone took Lois from her apartment." She murmured tearfully.

"Do have any idea who did it?" He asked her calmly. His mind was going a mile a minute, for a second he was worried that Chloe might think that the Green Arrow had something to do with Lois' kidnapping.

Chloe shook her head, clearly discouraged by her lack of information.

"I was telling Chloe that the Green Arrow Bandit may have something to do with this. After all Lois broke out the story about that criminal." The anonymous man piped in.

Chloe pulled back and shook her head decisively. "No, it's not the Green Arrow." She declared firmly.

"How can you be so-"

"And you are?" Oliver shot him an intimidating look. He could breathe easy at the knowledge that Chloe did not blame him for her cousin's disappearance.

"Oh, I'm sorry." Chloe disentangled herself completely from him. "Oliver Queen, Jimmy Olsen."

Oliver held out his hand and applied more pressure to Jimmy's hand than necessary as he shook it. He had to give the guy a little credit for holding back the grimace that threatened to burst from his expression.

"It's James actually." Jimmy asserted tightly.

"James." Oliver responded condescendingly. He focused his attention back to Chloe and brushed her hair back comfortingly.

He had to find Lois and make sure that she was safe. He didn't like seeing Chloe so distraught. No matter how much Lois annoyed him and his alter ego, she did not deserve to be held against her will. For some reason he couldn't not shake off the feeling that his other persona was the cause of the abduction. "Chloe, I'm going to make sure that we find her, okay? I'll get my men and the police to start looking for her."

Chloe nodded uncertainly.

Oliver placed both his hands on each other of her shoulder. "I'll make sure that she gets back to you safe and sound." He looked at her with conviction; he placed a gentle kiss on her forehead. "You stay here with her." He told Jimmy. "And Chloe, I know that you won't want to be left out of the process, so I'll have someone call you for updates. Okay?" He looked at her intently.

Chloe nodded with more confidence. "Thank you." She looked at him gratefully.

"It's nothing." He replied sincerely. "It's going to be okay." He kissed her chastely, ever mindful of the fact that someone else was observing them. He shot Jimmy one last look before walking briskly out of the basement.

* * *

He was in his Green Arrow suit in no time. 

He took out his PDA and activated the GPS system that clearly showed Lois' location, he had the foresight to place a number of tracking device in most of her clothes. It was fortunate that he took Chloe's concern for her cousin seriously. She told him that Lois did not just bring the attention to the Green Arrow to herself, but she also managed to alienate Safetex Security. Chloe even went so far as to show him graphs on the dramatic dip in the number of clients that dropped Safetex from their payroll upon the publication of the Green Arrow article.

Oliver jogged towards his motorcycle and drove straight to the Safetex facility. He was incredibly motivated to rescue Lois. The concern in Chloe's hazel eyes was enough to make him drive faster. He felt a familiar tug in his chest and for the nth time wondered what it felt like to have a family. He shook off his thoughts. It was important that he saved Lois. If anything happened to her it would be his fault.

His ride pulled to a complete stop behind the Safetex building. He flipped on his shades and detected the body heat of four individuals inside the structure. He headed for the rooftop and tried to figure out a way to rescue Lois.

When he reached the top he saw through the clear sunroof that Lois was unconscious. He heard the head of Safetex security order his thug to kill Lois. It was time for action. The man raised a gun and aimed for Lois. He shot off an arrow that deflected the bullet with startling accuracy.

Oliver jumped through the glass, landed on his feet and shot another arrow at the man who was eager to put a bullet through Lois. Another man came barreling towards him and he hit him with his crossbow unceremoniously. He punched the last thug with his free hand and when the big boss drew out a gun, he shot off another arrow that hit the man on his left shoulder pining him against the wall; the arrow emitted a gas that rendered the man unconscious.

Oliver surveyed the damage. All three thugs had been neutralized; the mastermind of the entire operation was out cold. He walked towards Lois' prone body and allowed himself to breathe a sigh of relief. Mission accomplished.

He gingerly picked up Lois from the hard cement, hooked her handcuffed wrists around his neck and placed an arm around her waist. He raised his crossbow high above his head and shot off a cabled arrow. With a little maneuvering the two of them escaped through the hole on the roof.

They landed on the building next to Safetex. He gently laid her down on the ground. He took off the handcuffs and rubbed her wrists as delicately as he could. Oliver got up once he was sure that Lois did not incur any serious injuries. He debated whether he should wait until she woke up or if he should wake her up himself.

Lois solved his dilemma by rousing on her own. He watched her as she rubbed the back of her head and as her eyes fluttered open. "Are you okay?" He knelt down next to her as he asked such an inane question. Of course she was not okay, she was kidnapped and manhandled and almost killed.

He blamed his preoccupation on her condition for what happened next. Lois punched him on the chest and grabbed the back of his neck before flipping the two of them over so that she was looming over him. "No thanks to you." She said scathingly as she took hold of his crossbow and aimed it at him.

"I saved you." He informed her snidely as he locked his boot behind her ankle and knocked her off her feet. He successfully managed to widen the distance between them but he was still down one crossbow.

"Yeah, from the goons who were trying to find you. They're not the only one with a 'V' for vendetta on your little leather ass." Lois snapped at him.

"Little? I've been really working the glutes lately." He countered cheekily. 'For your cousin.' He mentally added.

"Did the humor come with the costume?" Lois volleyed back mockingly.

"The humor was actually built in." He joked easily, internally he was seething. He saved her ass and she had his very own crossbow aimed at him, where was the justice in the world?

His answer obviously did not go over so well. Lois pulled the trigger and an arrow hit the billboard right next to him.

"Guess my aim's a little rusty." Lois shrugged casually as she inched forward. She aimed the weapon directly to his exposed neck and raised her free hand to take off his shades.

Oliver's mind was going over all possible ends to this scenario, trying to come up with ways to disarm Lois and prevent her from discovering his secret. But he could not find a clear cut way to do it without hurting her.

The next thing he knew the billboard was exploding. The lights were going off left and right, causing sparks everywhere. He saw her focus shift and took the opportunity to make a run for it. Of course he had to grab his crossbow from Lois. It wouldn't do to give her any more research materials.

He headed straight for his motorcycle. He was confident that Lois would be able to get herself to safety; after all she was a feisty one. He just saved her from imminent danger and somehow she successfully managed to hold him hostage, using his own weapon against him.

He loudly started up his bike and was well on his way when someone stopped a few feet away from him, directly in the way of his escape route. Oliver had to come to a screeching halt as he expertly handled the motorcycle on its front wheel.

"Oliver Queen, you owe me one." Clark Kent was standing before him, arms folded across his chest.

"That was you on the roof?" He eyed Clark speculatively as he took off his hood and glasses. "Why'd you let me get away?"

"I'm not sure Lois would approve of someone like you dating her cousin." Clark said bluntly.

"Would she approve of someone like you as her cousin's best friend?" He looked at Clark pointedly. "I think we're even in the secret identities front."

"We'll be even when you return what you stole from Lionel." Clark informed him, fixing an angry glare in his direction before disappearing completely.

* * *

The noise in the basement was louder than usual. The phones were ringing off the hook. Chloe looked around her and smiled in satisfaction. Lois was safe and sound; in fact she already wrote a follow-up article on the Green Arrow. But that wasn't the biggest news of all. 

"Chloe, what's all the buzz?" Clark appeared at the door of the copy room.

She smiled widely at him. Sure he was not responsible for Lois' rescue, but she was just too happy with the fact that Lois was okay and that her opinion of the Green Arrow was vindicated. "Seven stolen artifacts were anonymously returned to the Met, the Tate and the Louvre. Looks like you've got some friendly competition in the knight-in-shining-armor arena." She commented teasingly.

"The guy does a couple of good things and he goes from villain to hero overnight?" Clark muttered sullenly.

"Well, despite Lois' version I think he really did save her for the sake of saving her. And every time he strikes some corrupt tycoon, an anonymous donation to some charity mysteriously appears the next day." She pointed out optimistically.

Clark frowned at her. "You don't care how many laws are broken to get it there? You sound like you have a crush on the guy." He looked at her with accusation in his eyes.

Chloe scoffed at his last statement. "Need I remind you that, in the first place, those items were already stolen goods? If you ask me, he's a modern day Robin Hood. And I'm dying to find out who he is." She was absolutely enamored with the idea. "Oh, hey! I never heard back from you after I sent you the picture of that crest." Chloe looked at him expectantly.

Clark rubbed the back of his head uncomfortably. "I kind of ran into a dead end."

Chloe's eyes narrowed at the gesture. She raised a brow at him questioningly. "That's funny, so did I. All my files on the ring are gone, including the backup files? Now who would be capable of doing such a thing? I mean who is faster than a speeding bullet?" She tapped a finger on her lips thoughtfully. "Clark? Any ideas?" She gave him her penetrating reporter stare.

"Just don't look into him, Chloe." He refused to meet her eyes as he shuffled his feet uneasily.

Chloe looked up at him. "You know who he is, don't you?"

"As a favor to me, please don't." Clark was obviously pleading for the Green Arrow's case.

She sighed loudly and then she smiled at him. "And he knows who you are. So there is a secret code of honor among superheroes!" She declared happily. "Don't worry Clark, I got your back." She winked at him as she walked back to her desk.

From the corner of her eye, she could see that Clark was rooted to his spot. She looked back and rolled her eyes at him, he broke into a grin as he followed after her.

Clark leaned a hip on the corner of her desk and smiled at her. "So where's Oliver?"

Chloe's brows crinkled at his question. "At work I think."

"Oh." Clark nodded understandingly. "So you're going to keep seeing him?"

She looked at him questioningly. "Yeah." She drawled out slowly. "You want to tell me something Clark?"

Clark shook his head in denial a little too quickly for her taste. "Do you like him?" He asked earnestly.

Chloe stared at him for a full minute. "Of course I like him." She answered honestly.

Clark nodded.

"Are you okay Clark?" She focused all her attention on her best friend. The last thing she needed was an alien on the verge of some breakdown. "Something on your mind?" She nudged his foot with hers.

He shook his head distractedly. "So how's Lois?"

Chloe sighed in slight exasperation. "She's okay, took her kidnapping all in stride. You did read the latest Inquisitor, didn't you?" She held up the said paper and smiled slightly.

Clark laughed quietly at the headline. "You may be ready to paint him as a hero; clearly Lois is not ready to do the same."

She shrugged helplessly. "One of these days she will have to agree with me. I just hope she doesn't actually liken him with Charles Manson on paper."

Clark laughed out loud at her declaration.

* * *

Oliver walked into the barn casually, as though he was accustomed to being in a farm-like environment. He made the trip especially for this discussion. He had to know if his secret was safe with Clark Kent. That and he had a proposition for him. 

"I didn't realize I was such a fascinating subject." He blurted out tersely.

Clark remained unmoved by his unannounced appearance and his sudden outburst. He just kept attending to his chores.

"You've been reading up on me. You and Lois ought to start a fan club." He added offhandedly.

Clark finally faced him. "I don't know. Chloe might feel a little left out." The farm boy looked at him pointedly.

His eyes narrowed at the younger man's response.

"Are you going to tell her?" Clark folded his arms across his chest.

"I should ask you that question?" Oliver countered defensively.

"No." Clark shook his head. "The truth should come from you."

"Are you the defender of the truth, Clark?" Oliver assumed the same stance as him. "So, does Chloe know about her super friend?" He eyed him skeptically.

Clark seemed to stand taller at his question. "Yes, yes she does."

Oliver felt a rush of envy at Clark's confident answer and dismissed it before it showed in his expression. "Good for you." He replied sarcastically.

Chloe and Clark were best of friends, so maybe her knowledge of Clark's secret was not entirely surprising. He and Chloe had been seeing each other for the last two weeks. They hadn't even agreed on seeing each other exclusively. While he had no doubt that Chloe was trustworthy, case in point the man in front of him, he was not about to blurt out his secret life to her. Not yet at least.

"So are you gonna tell her?" Clark asked again.

Oliver eyed him coolly. "My decision is none of your concern." He informed him curtly.

Clark cleared his throat. "Actually it is. Chloe's my best friend. And what happens to her concerns me. And you can't be with someone unless they know who you really are." He uttered with such feeling.

"Speaking from experience I gather." Oliver looked at him with detachment. "You see, you're not the only one who's done his research. You lost your high school sweetheart to Lex Luthor. Is that why you dislike me so much? You think I'm just another silver-spoon-fed rich boy, is that it? Someone unworthy of your best friend? Or is it because I am not willing to play martyr like you?"

"You can play this game all you want: secret identities, unexplained disappearances. Sooner or later you're going to hurt her. You know that, unless you share yourself completely." Clark said knowingly.

Oliver glared at him. "This is my decision, not yours Clark. I would never hurt Chloe."

"But you will, if you insist on living a double life. She'll be hurt each and every time that you stand her up. She'll be hurt by every lame excuse you try to give her. But most of all she'll be hurt when she finds out that you are the Green Arrow and that you never trusted her enough to tell her. Because she will." Clark declared confidently.

"Is it safe to assume that she figured out your secret on her own? So you did not tell her the truth? Doesn't that make you a hypocrite? Here you are trying to convince me to tell Chloe about my alter ego, when you did not extend the same courtesy to her." Oliver concluded condescendingly.

Clark nodded in agreement. "Yeah, I guess I am. But then again Chloe and I had our history, our friendship, to fall back on. Can you say the same about the two of you?" He retorted quietly.

Oliver took a deep breath. The conversation was going nowhere. Clark already said that he was not going to tell Chloe about his dual identities. "This is my secret Kent. I decide who I can trust."

Clark was silent for what felt like eternity to Oliver. The younger man eventually nodded in understanding. "Okay."

"Anyway, I just came here to give you this." He held out the necklace to Clark. "For the record, Lionel bought that off a notorious Bosnian warlord, used it to launder Luthercorp money."

"So why give it to me?" Clark asked as he accepted the jewelry.

"Well, you seem to have a crystal-clear idea of what's right and what's wrong. You decide who it belongs to." Oliver was confident that he did the right thing by handing the necklace back to him.

"It's not as clear as it used to be. You really think it is right to steal, as long as it goes to a good cause?" Clark shot him a perplexed look.

"That the end justifies the means? Absolutely, yes." Oliver answered without hesitation.

"I'll never feel that way." Clark affirmed with such certainty. "So you know that I won't be telling Chloe your secret. And you already gave me the necklace. Why do I get the feeling that you have another reason to be here?" Clark eyed him speculatively.

"Clark, you have abilities that I couldn't even dream of. And I admire that you use them to save the people you're close to." Oliver finally broached the subject that was niggling at the back of his mind ever since their encounter at the residence of yet another tycoon.

"But?" Clark prompted impatiently.

"But there's a whole world of people out there. They need us. With your potential…you can't wait for them to come to you. When you're ready to do something about that…you let me know." He looked at the younger man intently. He hoped that he managed to get through to him. With powers like his, Clark had the potential to help millions. Oliver looked at Clark one final time before he headed for the door.

"And Clark, when Chloe and I fully define our relationship, then I'll seriously consider telling her about the Green Arrow." He said clearly without turning back to see the other man's expression.

TBC


	9. Old Acquaintances

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

AN: First of all I apologize if it took so long before this update. I guess I didn't realize what I was taking on when I started this fic. I didn't actually think I would need to rework the entire season, but that's how it turned out. Anyway, here's the next chapter. It centers on the episode "**Reunion**", so prior knowledge would be good. As always thanks to **tvmegasite** for the episode transcripts. To everyone who took the time to review, thank you very much!!!!

Chapter 9

_Old Acquaintances_

_Oliver watched as his younger self marched over to a younger version of Lex Luthor. He was accompanied by his friends, Alden and Geoffrey. And as always, they were picking on Lex and his friend Duncan._

"_Look who it is, boys... weirdo Angel and his trusty sidekick, Grease Spot." His mini-self gestured towards Lex and Duncan and then he snatched the comic book from Duncan's hands._

"_Give it back, Ollie." Lex scowled at him and his three companions._

"_That's Mr. Queen to you, little man." 'Ollie' told Lex condescendingly._

"_It's okay, Lex. I'll just get another one." Duncan said feebly._

"_Yeah, Duncan will just get another one. Oh, oh, wait, he can't." Alden said derisively._

"_Oh, yeah, that's right. His mommy doesn't have any money. That's why he's on scholarship." Geoffrey added mockingly_

"_Shut up, Geoffrey. Shut up, Alden. Give it back... Mr. Queen." Young Lex uttered with such contempt._

"_Sure. You know what? Let's make this a two-parter." Ollie tore the comic book into two._

"_Don't!" Lex shouted ineffectually. _

Oliver awoke with a start. He ran a hand through his hair and closed his eyes in agitation.

* * *

"Hmm, remember the last time we tried this?" Chloe smiled at him quizzically.

"I remember it well. I am hoping the second time won't end up with the appearance of some green blob." Oliver tightened his hold around her waist as they maneuvered around their crowded surroundings.

"The Green Arrow's hardly a green blob." Chloe laughed softly. "According to Lois the man's chiseled."

Oliver raised a brow at the description. "Really?" A small smile played on his handsome face. "I thought Lois had such an extreme dislike for the man."

Chloe nodded. "She does, but she said, and I quote, such description is for research purposes. So anyway, why are we here again? I thought we decided that this," She gestured between the two of them, "worked better one on one."

"Ah, was that your theory or mine?" He gave her a charming smile. "As much as I revere our moments alone, I cannot deny the world the opportunity to behold the most beautiful woman I've ever laid eyes on." Oliver kissed the back of her hand as he finished his statement.

Chloe let out a quiet giggle.

"Too much?" Oliver grinned at her response.

"Just a tad." She wrinkled her nose at him as she slipped her arm around his waist.

"I shall be less liberal with my compliments." Oliver nodded in understanding.

"I'd appreciate that." Chloe added sagely.

He placed a kiss on her temple, completely oblivious of every one around them.

"Chloe?" Someone called out tentatively.

The voice served to break the romantic haze that the two were enveloped in. Oliver shot the intruder a glare, while Chloe frowned slightly. Her frown turned into a wide smile upon recognizing the person who dared to interrupt their private moment.

"Lana!" Chloe disentangled herself from Oliver and hugged the other woman.

"What are you doing here?" Lana Lang looked at Chloe and then focused her gaze on Oliver.

"Excelsior reunion. Oliver invited me to accompany him." She answered simply as she took a step back and leaned against Oliver slightly.

"Oh, but I thought. I thought. Umm, I believe I saw Mr. Queen with Lois at the Dark Thursday benefit." Lana looked uncomfortable as she once again glanced at the blonde billionaire.

"Of course you did. Didn't you drop a hefty sum for the reconstruction?" Chloe smiled at Oliver warmly.

Oliver gave her a short nod. If Lana Lang was with them it wouldn't take long before another billionaire, one he was not in good terms with, joined them. He leaned closer to Chloe. "I'm going to go get us a drink." He whispered to her. The last thing he wanted was an opportunity to make small talk with his former schoolmate.

Chloe's hand practically clamped down on his arm. "I'm not thirsty." She smiled at him brightly.

Oliver covered her hand with his and nodded imperceptibly. It was his brilliant idea to attend the reunion in the first place. Chloe originally wanted to drive back to Smallville and hang out with Clark.

"Miss Sullivan is not particularly fond of champagne. I believe her drink of choice is, and will always be, a cup of coffee." Lex interjected smoothly. He stood right next to Lana, placed a hand on the small of her back and gave Chloe and Oliver a curt nod.

Oliver pulled Chloe closer to him at Lex' appearance. "A fact that is hard to miss." He nodded in agreement. "However, Chloe and I have an understanding. For today she will refrain from imbibing her favorite liquid."

Chloe glared at him playfully as she jabbed his side with her elbow. Oliver pretended to double over in pain and Chloe rolled her eyes at his antics.

"And you got Chloe to agree to such a thing?" Lana looked at the two of them in disbelief, pretty much the same expression she had upon finding out that they were at the party together.

"I find that hard to believe." Lex said sardonically. "Chloe has been my most reliable source of income since the opening of the Talon." Lex smirked in conclusion.

Chloe laughed at Lex' comment. "I may have paid more than my fair share for a cup of coffee. But you forget, I happen to know the former partner," She gave Lana a meaningful look. "a former manager and a former employee. All of whom had graciously contributed to my addiction without the power of the green. Add the fact that I currently reside on top of said establishment. Do you know how much free reign I get with all those coffeepots?" Chloe asked dreamily. "I close for a certain waitress once a week and I get all the coffee I can drink."

Lex raised a brow at her declaration. Chloe met his gaze unflinchingly. "I may have to rethink your living situation." He murmured quietly.

Chloe resisted the urge to stick her tongue at him. "You do that." She replied condescendingly before giving him a small smile.

Lex returned her smile. "So what exactly did you do to get her to agree to a day-free coffee?" He shifted his attention to Oliver.

Oliver shot Chloe a questioning look. Her eyes narrowed slightly as she shook her head. He gave her a full smile and she still had the same expression on her face. "We have a bet." He was smiling broadly as he faced Lex.

"I knew it!" Lana said triumphantly.

Oliver's brows furrowed at Lana's outburst. He completely forgot that she was with them.

"Chloe wouldn't just decide to give up coffee, even if it's just for a day." Lana stated without prompting.

"And what exactly does this bet entail?" Lex looked entirely interested in the answer.

"No coffee for twenty-four hours and I get a year's supply of gourmet coffee. Isn't that right Oliver?" Chloe shot Oliver an expectant look.

Oliver nodded and smiled at her. "Ghirardelli to be precise."

"So I am completely okay with not having coffee. Just for today." Chloe grinned triumphantly. "A year's worth of coffee for free. It's like a dream come true." She was already lost in her own coffee-filled world.

"I have a feeling I'm going regret this bet." Oliver murmured absently as he stared at Chloe.

Lana laughed softly while Lex smiled tightly.

"Would you look at that? It's like the net worth of this party just went up." A tall raven-haired man interrupted the two couples.

"Tell me about it. And it seems like the money is congregating in this corner." A blonde man added a little snidely.

Oliver introduced the blonde man as Alden and the brunette as Geoffrey.

"Geoffrey, Alden. How's business?" Lex inquired coolly.

"Not as good as you." Alden answered sarcastically.

"Were you guys all friends?" Lana looked from Lex to Oliver.

"Something like that." Lex answered tersely.

Chloe shot a puzzled look at Oliver. There was something about Lex' tone that completely belied his statement. She was sure that there was something else to the story. She nudged Oliver with her elbow and he simply smiled at her.

"Man, after ten years, the gang's all here." Geoffrey remarked as he grabbed a champagne flute from one of the many servers.

"Except for Duncan." Alden reminded Geoffrey rudely as he gulped down his much stronger drink.

"Who's Duncan?" Lana once again looked at the four men for answers.

Oliver took the drink from Alden's hand. "Know what? Maybe you ought to lay off, huh?"

Lex remained stoic throughout the exchange; Chloe saw his grip on Lana's waist tighten at Alden's words.

"What? Like you weren't all thinking about it-"

"Alden." Oliver said the name warningly. Chloe patted his arm comfortingly. For some reason the subject of the Duncan guy was making Alden belligerent and the other three men extremely uncomfortable.

"Come on Alden." Geoffrey patted his back companionably.

Alden glared at Geoffrey. "Whatever. Good to see you Lex. You did all right for yourself." After nodding in Lana and Chloe's direction he walked off.

"I think I just witnessed the very definition of awkward." Chloe whispered to Oliver.

Oliver smiled half-heartedly. Chloe eyed him speculatively. Before she could interrogate him further a loud noise was heard. All five of them turned to the direction where the noise came from. Chloe had to fight her instinct to investigate the source of the loud noise but the concerned look on Oliver's face as he asked her to stay put was enough to keep her in her place.

Oliver, with the two other men behind him, raced towards Alden, who was almost crushed by a part of the statue atop the school building.

Chloe stood on her tiptoes to see what was happening. There was a collective sigh of relief, which was interrupted by another loud noise. Chloe exchanged looks with Lana and the two of them ran towards where the men were.

Some woman screamed her heart out and Chloe could not really blame her. She closed her eyes at the sight. Alden was almost completely covered by the statue that fell on him. There was blood everywhere and Chloe had to try hard not to throw up. Oliver stood stock still at the sight, completely oblivious to everything around him.

Chloe placed a comforting hand on Oliver arm and she took out her phone with her free hand.

* * *

Oliver, Chloe and Geoffrey walked out of the hospital, a long silence settled over them.

"Seeing somebody you've laughed with, shared so many good times together…seeing him laid out on a table like that." Geoffrey murmured softly.

Chloe met his gaze sorrowfully. She hooked her arm through Oliver's and waited for him to say something.

When the paramedics arrived Alden was already beyond saving and everybody knew it. But Geoffrey and Oliver refused to give up and insisted that the men do their job. The three of them drove behind the ambulance and waited at the hospital.

As they waited there was already an unspoken understanding that Alden had no hope of leaving the hospital alive. But not one of them voiced it. It was clear to Chloe that both men truly cared for Alden, no matter how rude he was at the reunion. And it was just as clear to her that Lex Luthor did not hold the same esteem for Alden. He called her once every hour but that was the extent of his concern for him.

"Alden called me a month ago. He said he wanted to go out for a drink, and I... told him I was busy. I said I'd catch up with him later." Oliver said quietly as he placed his free hand over Chloe's arm.

"You couldn't have known that this was going to happen." Chloe told him gently.

Geoffrey nodded in agreement. "All the more reason to live for today, keep in touch with old friend?" He looked at Oliver hopefully.

Oliver nodded slowly.

"I have to get back to Gotham tonight. But maybe one of these days…maybe we can have lunch or something." Geoffrey held his hand out to him.

"Yeah." Oliver shook his hand. "I'll call you tomorrow, so we can arrange it." He gave Geoffrey a one-armed hug.

"Good, good." He smiled at Oliver. "You've got a great gal there. Don't screw it up Ollie."

Oliver gave a short laugh and Chloe smiled widely at the compliment. She disentangled herself from Oliver and gave Geoffrey a kiss on the cheek.

The two of them watched as he walked towards the town car. Oliver wrapped his arm around her waist and steered them towards their own ride. A long quiet settled over them and Chloe looked at him worriedly. She had no doubt that Oliver was still reeling from everything that happened. Chloe was at a loss on how to deal with everything herself. She had never witnessed a friend's death and she hoped that she never would. She snaked her arm around his waist and hoped to infuse some comfort in her touch.

Oliver relaxed at her touch. He gave her a grateful smile. "Thank you. For being here." He murmured appreciatively.

Chloe returned his smile. "You're welcome."

Before they could go any further there was a sudden explosion behind them. Oliver practically carried her away from the fiery car before the force of the blast sent them hurtling towards the pavement.

Oliver made sure that he was hovering over Chloe protectively. When he finally managed to look at the source of the blast he felt his chest tighten. Geoffrey's car just exploded.

* * *

"Are you sure?" Chloe asked him for the nth time.

Oliver managed to muster a smile as he nodded. "You should go."

"I could stay." She said for the nth time.

"It's okay Chloe. I'm okay." He replied reassuringly as he got up from the couch to get more coffee.

After what happened to Geoffrey, Chloe insisted on staying with him. It was not the most ideal circumstance, the first time that they spent the night together, not that anything happened, but he was grateful for her presence. One death of an old high school friend was hard enough to deal with, but two was just more than he could handle. Chloe kept him grounded. And now he was prepared to investigate what happened to Alden and Geoffrey. He was certain that it was no coincidence that his two high school buddies died consecutively.

"Are you sure? Because I think Clark would understand if I can't make it." Chloe followed after him.

"I'm sure." He placed his cup on the counter and focused his attention on her.

"Okay. But if you need anything, anything at all just give me a call. Okay?" She took his hands in hers.

Oliver allowed their fingers to intertwine. "I will. Thank you, for being here." He whispered quietly.

Chloe smiled weakly. "Okay." She stood on her tiptoes and kissed him chastely. "Take care, okay? Stay safe?" She eyed him worriedly before she could say more Oliver pulled her into his arms and held her.

"I will. Call me when you get there." Oliver finally released her and placed a gentle kiss on her forehead.

Chloe grabbed her bag and gave him a mock salute. She and Oliver walked hand in hand towards the elevator. She really did not want to leave. She had a feeling that Oliver could be next in the string of 'accidental deaths' but Clark arranged their lunch days prior and she had a feeling that it was not just a regular get-together. She managed to extract a promise from Oliver not to leave the safety of his own home and she hoped that once she and Clark discussed the meteor-related subject, she could commandeer his assistance in figuring out what was happening to Oliver's circle of friends.

The two of them stopped in front of the elevator but neither released the other's hand. Chloe's heart was full of worry. She leaned her forehead against his chest. "I'll see you tonight okay?" She murmured ever so softly.

"I'll see you tonight." Oliver replied reassuringly.

Chloe looked up at him and then gave him a lingering kiss on the lips before releasing his hand and stepping into the elevator.

Oliver watched her as she disappeared from his sight. He took a deep breath as he prepared himself to focus his energies on figuring out what exactly happened to his two high school buddies.

* * *

Chloe took out her phone as soon as she stepped off the elevator. She pressed the necessary number to contact Clark and walked towards the deserted alley right next to Oliver's building. After three rings he finally answered.

"Hey Chlo'! Are you just five minutes away?" Clark greeted cheerfully.

"Actually… I'm still in Metropolis." Chloe replied.

"What? What about our lunch?" He asked, slightly indignant.

"That's the thing…do you think I can hitch a ride on the Clark express? I don't want your mom to think that I stood you guys up." She said uncertainly.

Before she knew it Clark was standing right in front of her. "The least you could do is let me hang up first." She smiled at him wanly as she shut her phone.

"So how come you weren't back at the Talon? I thought you said you were going to drive home right after the party." Clark gave her a piercing look.

"I was but something came up. Come on, let's get going. Your mom's probably wondering what happened to you." She nudged him with her shoulder to spur him into action.

Clark's brows furrowed before he nodded and swept her up in his arms. "Close your eyes and hold on tight." Clark said as usual. It was his typical disclaimer whenever she tried to utilize his superspeed to her advantage.

"We're here." He whispered to her ear. He waited until she had her eyes open before settling her back on her feet.

She smiled at him slightly. "Still the best way to travel." No matter how many times Clark carted her off somewhere; she was still in awe of his superspeed.

Clark grinned at her words. He took her hand in his and they walked hand in hand into the Kent home.

Chloe felt heady at the aroma that assaulted her senses. Martha Kent remained the top chef in her book. Martha looked up and smiled when she saw her and Clark.

"Chloe, I'm glad you could make it." Martha said as she enveloped Chloe in a hug.

"I wouldn't miss it for the world Mrs. Kent." She rejoined warmly. "You know, you really didn't have to go all this trouble for me." Chloe remarked as she eyed the spread on the table.

Martha rolled her eyes at the younger woman. "You can't live on coffee three meals a day Chloe." She countered in lecture mode.

"She's not just living off of coffee, Mom. Occasionally Oliver Queen takes her out to pricey dinner." Clark interjected dryly.

Chloe frowned faintly at his statement. "Well nothing beats a home-cooked meal." She declared loyally.

Martha smiled at her assertion and handed Clark the utensils so he could set the table.

"So…" Clark prompted as he began the task that his mom gave him.

"I knew this wasn't just a social call." Chloe remarked wryly as she took out a folder from her bag. "Anyway, I figured that after our encounter with that killer plant that it might not be an isolated incident. I've read reports of unusual occurrences all over the world. It's like the Wall of Weird went global." She shook her head as she recalled what she read. "The worst attack was on a small village in the Kashmir region of India. The entire village was nearly destroyed." She offered the folder to Clark.

He read the facts over her shoulder and frowned. "The villagers said they saw something fall from the sky the night before. That's the same time I escaped the Phantom Zone."

"Do you think whatever it was got out when you escaped?" Martha looked at them questioningly as she placed the casserole on the table.

Chloe looked at her thoughtfully. "Like the park ranger? How about a trip to the ice castle?" She eyed him animatedly. "Jor-El could help track down the Zoners before they could do any more damage."

"Zoners?" Clark and Martha looked at her in confusion.

"'Escaped super-criminals from the Phantom Zone' is a little bit of a mouthful." She smiled wryly.

The mother and son exchanged amused looks.

"The Fortress is dead. There's no way to contact Jor-El, ask for his help. I should have just listened to him." Clark muttered forlornly.

"And done what, Clark? Killed Lex to stop Zod from taking over his body?" Chloe looked at him pointedly.

"You're not a murderer Clark." Martha said softly.

Clark raked a hand through his hair in agitation. "What about all those people in that village mom? They might have died because of my actions. I need to know if I'm the one responsible for releasing that…that thing that killed them."

"Then we need to find more crater impacts. Like the one you made when you came out of the Phantom Zone? I think our best bet would be satellite images." Chloe was resolute in finding everything there was to know about the Zoners.

"I thought all the satellites were down on Dark Thursday." Martha looked at Chloe and then at Clark.

Chloe nodded slightly. "All except for a few owned by Queen Industries. If we could get the access codes I might be able to find an image of whatever it is that came down before the attack on that village."

"That's great. You can just ask Oliver Queen for those codes." Clark brightened up a little. His self-flagellation was put on hold in the interest of finding the 'Zoner.'

"I'm not sure that's such a good idea. I don't want to inadvertently blurt out your secret. If I ask him for the codes I may need to fib a little." Chloe bit her lip as she toyed with the idea. "Besides he has so much going on right now." She mentioned offhandedly as they all sat down to eat.

"Is that why I had to pick you up from his place?" Clark blurted out unceremoniously.

"Clark." Martha said his name warningly.

"Actually I think we have another mystery to solve." Chloe smiled at him tightly. "Yesterday, two of his high school friends died." She said quietly.

"Oh." Clark looked at her blankly.

"What happened?" Martha was completely aghast.

"His friend Alden…a sculpture fell on top of him right at the reunion. A few hours later his other friend, Geoffrey, died in a car explosion. In both instances Oliver was there to witness it. I have a feeling there is more to their deaths. It's a little to coincidental for my taste." Chloe felt her appetite disappear at the turn of the conversation.

"What do you think happened?" Clark reached out to cover her shaking hand.

"I don't know…yet. We're going to have to pull a double duty." She gave Clark a small smile. She truly felt that the weirdness that surrounded Alden and Geoffrey's death was right up in their alley, it was all a matter of finding out what exactly was going on. Oliver was not entirely informative on the subject of his friends and his Excelsior days the night before. Which was completely undestandable, after all his friends just died. But her worry for him trumped everything. Chloe felt compelled to get to the bottom of things.

"We can do that." Clark nodded in agreement. "I think he'll be okay Chloe." He murmured reassuringly.

"I hope so." She replied quietly.

Martha and Clark exchanged worried looks.

Clark watched Chloe as she merely moved her food around her plate. Oliver still owed him for not letting Lois discover his identity. He was not entirely comfortable keeping Oliver's secret from Chloe, but it was his secret to tell. But maybe he could get the other man to agree to give him the codes so they could track down the Zoners, after all the other man knew his secret. In exchange, he would help Oliver with his friends' mysterious deaths.

He inhaled deeply as Martha coaxed Chloe into talking about normal things. He resolved to pay Oliver a visit sometime today, he just had to time it right so Chloe wouldn't suspect anything.

TBC


	10. Mutually Beneficial Arrangements

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

AN: And here's the next chapter. I would like to thank everyone who reviewed the last update, I appreciate the comments, I hope you guys enjoy this update. This still falls under the episode **Reunion**, much thanks to tvmegasite for the episode transcripts. Now, on with the story...

Chapter 10

_Mutually Beneficial Arrangements_

Oliver inhaled deeply, raised his bow and arrow at eye level and closed his eyes. He released the arrow. He listened intently for the sound of the projectile hitting the target, except it never came. He opened his eyes and saw Clark Kent, the younger man caught the arrow mid-flight.

"Clark." He tried not to roll his eyes at Clark's sudden appearance. A part of him felt like that the farm boy was rubbing the fact that he was powerless in his face. "I was wondering if my security system would keep someone like you out." He said disinterestedly as he picked up another arrow.

"Looks like you need an upgrade." Clark replied pointedly as he handed the arrow back to him.

"Or you need to learn how to knock." Oliver remarked dryly. "It's okay. You know what, you can keep that arrow. I've got a new one." He held up the said item. "I was thinking about developing a boxing-glove arrow but then I thought to myself, 'why not come up with something a little more fancy,' and so I did." He shot off the arrow that he had examined and it emitted an electrical wave upon landing on the target.

Clark gave him a questioning look.

"Contained an electromagnetic pulse, knocks out everything electrical within an eight foot radius, cameras, laser systems, pacemakers." He smiled slightly.

Clark's brows furrowed.

"The last one was a joke, Clark." This time Oliver actually rolled his eyes.

"I'm laughing on the inside." Clark retorted sarcastically.

Oliver shrugged. "Maybe we'll get lucky someday and it'll bubble to the surface. So to what do I owe the pleasure?" He placed his bow on the table and looked at him expectantly.

"I need to talk to you about the Queen Industries, their satellite grid." Clark began hesitantly.

"What about it?" Oliver folded his arms across his chest and waited until Clark got to the point.

Clark shifted uncomfortably before he could talk again. "Um…Chloe, she's doing a story on the global effects of Dark Thursday. She needs satellite images of that day, but none of them were working."

"Except mine." Oliver nodded in understanding.

"Now how'd you manage that?" Clark assumed the same stance as his.

"It's a trade secret." He grinned at him. "So, Chloe needs those images. Why didn't she just ask me herself?" He looked at Clark with such interest.

Clark shuffled his feet awkwardly. "I think she was thinking about asking you, but for some reason she's hesitating. She thinks it's a conflict of interest, if she asks you that maybe she would be compromising her journalistic integrity."

"So you're asking on her behalf, so as not to compromise her journalistic integrity?" Oliver did not believe Clark for a second. Chloe would have asked for the codes herself, if she was actually writing a story on Dark Thursday. She believed in utilizing all sources to write a story. The only possible reason why she wouldn't ask for those codes herself was because it was not actually for a story, and he had a hunch that the images were more for Clark than for her. "How about the truth this time Clark, I just might consider giving you those codes." He eyed Clark sardonically.

Clark was looking at him intently, as though he was deciding whether he could trust him with the truth or not.

"Okay. You don't have to tell me. You're allowed some secrets." Oliver said generously. "I'll give you the access codes to the grid archive, if you help me with something." He met Clark's gaze with such determination.

"What would that be?" Clark observed Oliver suspiciously.

"Help me figure out how Lex caused the accidental death of two of my friends." He stated gravely.

Clark looked at him sympathetically. He already promised Chloe that he would help her with her own investigation. He nodded resolutely. "You do know that Chloe is already on the case, don't you?"

Oliver nodded. "I figured as much. At least this way you'll be keeping an eye on her. Lex is a dangerous man." He said in all seriousness.

"Do you really think that Lex killed them?" Clark looked slightly skeptical.

"I've known Lex a lot longer than you Clark. I've seen who he really is." Oliver muttered gravely.

* * *

Chloe raced through the halls of Smallville General. She hated hospitals and she loathed this hospital in particular. But her concern for Lana overwhelmed all her misgivings. 

"Save yourself a trip next time, Clark. Just send flowers." She heard Lex tell Clark just before slamming the door to his face.

She placed a comforting hand on Clark's arm when she reached him. "That was harsh." She scowled at the door, as if she could peer right through the door and give Lex the evil eye.

"It's not like he's wrong, though. I've hurt Lana more than anyone else. She wouldn't be even with Lex if it wasn't for me." Clark said morosely.

Chloe was tempted to hit him on the head. She already had Oliver to worry about and now Clark was about to switch on mope mode. "Lana made that decision all on her own. It's not your fault that she chose to be with him, Clark. Sometimes you just have to let people make their own mistakes." She replied consolingly.

Clark looked at her and smiled weakly.

"This can't be a coincidence." Chloe looked at him thoughtfully. "Think about it, in the past twenty-four hours two of Oliver's friends from boarding school died in violent deaths."

"And you think that Lex was almost the third victim?" Clark looked doubtful.

"What's with that look? It's not much of a stretch. Lex said that he was with Lana when everything happened." Chloe explained defensively.

"You talked to Lex about this?" Clark looked at her in a slightly accusing tone.

"Yes, I did." She stuck out her chin stubbornly. "I needed to know the circumstances surrounding the accident. And if it hadn't been for his call I wouldn't be here right now." She glared at Clark. She hated the fact that she was stuck in the middle of Clark and Lana's drama. She had to give Lex a little credit; the man set aside their differences, all for his concern for Lana.

Clark refused to meet her gaze.

"Look, if Lex wanted Oliver's friends dead, he would have done it differently. Alden died in front of a crowd. And Geoffrey, it was too high profile. That's just not Lex' style, he's all about discretion." She insisted forcefully.

Clark nodded slowly.

"I think these things have something to do with their schoolmate, Duncan. Oliver's not really helpful on that front. We can head to the Planet and research him." She looked at Clark hopefully.

"Listen; maybe you should get some distance between you and Oliver, at least for a little while. I don't want you sharing a room with Lana." He suggested worriedly.

Chloe waved off his suggestion dismissively. "I'm not going to stand by and wait for something to happen to Oliver. I need to be a part of this." She declared with such urgency.

"Look, I'm already helping Oliver out with the investigation. I don't want you to be a target of whatever it is that's behind these attacks." Clark replied determinedly.

Chloe leaned back and eyed him questioningly. "And would you like to tell me how you became more involved in this? You act like you're even more invested than I am." She looked at him archly.

"Look, Oliver was impressed when I got the necklace back from the Green Arrow. I guess he thought I could help him with what's happening." Clark rubbed the back of his neck uncomfortably. Chloe spotted the lie a mile away.

"And in return you asked for the codes for those satellite images?" Chloe finished for him, understanding his prime motivation.

Clark nodded imperceptibly.

"So you guys didn't just become buddies all of a sudden? This is merely a mutually beneficial agreement. You help him and he helps you, is that it?" Chloe crossed her arms across her chest and gave him a measured look.

Clark nodded again.

"Well, just because you two thought that joining forces is a good idea, that doesn't give you the right to cut me off. I'm the one who brought this to your attention. I was there when the two incidents happened. I'm not going to allow you to 'try' and protect me from whatever it is that's behind these attacks. I've dealt with worse; you could at least admit that much." She glared at Clark slightly.

"Then I guess we're going to the Planet." Clark smiled at her weakly.

* * *

"So Chloe's safe?" Oliver asked as he led Clark into his home. 

"Yeah, she's at the Planet." Clark replied quietly.

"And Lana? Is she okay?" Oliver inquired just as softly.

"I think so. Looks like you're wrong about Lex being the one behind the attacks." Clark shook his head despairingly.

"Unless, he orchestrated this one to throw off any suspicions." Oliver retorted dryly.

"If Lex was the only one hurt, then I'd probably think the same thing." Clark replied.

"You're probably right. He loves Lana too much to willingly put her in danger." He said thoughtlessly. He then remembered who exactly he was talking to when he saw the horrified look on Clark's face.

"These…these attacks aren't random. Chloe seems to think that it might have something to do with a kid you went to school with back in Excelsior, Duncan, I think." Clark brought up the name hesitantly.

Oliver shook his head in refutation. "It's not Duncan." He said firmly.

"How can you be so sure?" Clark's brows furrowed as he waited for his answer.

"Because Lex and I killed him ten years ago." Oliver said quietly.

Clark looked positively stricken at his pronouncement. "What do you mean you killed him?"

"I was a bully." He said in self-recrimination. "In high school I was particularly horrible to Lex and Duncan. My friends, Geoffrey and Alden, we always picked on Lex and Duncan. I'm not very proud of my high school career. And that particular time of my life…" Oliver looked away from Clark, thoroughly ashamed of himself.

"What happened?" Clark prodded gently.

"Lex, he turned against Duncan. Beat him when Duncan refused to be part of Lex' master plan. I tried to stop him, we all did, but Lex, he used his hatred for me and my friends and transferred it all to Duncan." Oliver raked his hands through his hair. "Duncan, he was disgusted by what Lex became. He was running away from Lex, from us. He got hit by a car."

"Duncan suffered massive brain injuries." Oliver rubbed his temples in remembrance.

Clark was just quiet. He knew the conclusion of Oliver's story. "Did anything else happen?"

"Lionel Luthor swept in with the best doctors in the world to save Duncan." He continued mechanically.

"Lionel?" Clark looked slightly confused at the new information.

"I thought it was an act of kindness. Now that I look back on it, I realize that it was just an act. Lionel was trying to cover up what happened between Lex and Duncan, trying to cover up the stink off the Luthor name." Oliver stated with such distaste.

Clark shook his head, as though to clear it. "How did he know all about this?" He seemed slightly perturbed.

"He got the whole story from Lex. Duncan was on scholarship. His parents couldn't afford that team of neurosurgeons. Lionel promised to take care of the whole thing." Oliver's jaw hardened as he continued to remember.

"As long as everyone kept quiet." Clark muttered in understanding.

"Not that it mattered. Duncan died two days later." Oliver fiddled with another arrow. He was never comfortable reliving that part of his life. But his two friends just died, he could stand to be uncomfortable in order to get to the bottom of their deaths.

"It was an accident. It just happened." Clark remarked uselessly.

Oliver shook his head in denial. "No. No, I told myself that same lie for years. The truth is all of us might as well have pushed him out in front of that car. Alden, Geoffrey, Lex, me, we all killed Duncan Allenmeyer." He fought the urge to break the arrow in two. He avoided Clark's gaze, he did not want to see the accusation in his eyes.

Clark took a deep breath. "What about his family? If they believed you killed him, one of them might be behind this." Clark said with such urgency.

"I thought about that, but the only relative I could find was his mother." Oliver replied distractedly.

"Where is she?" Clark seemed interested in the possibility of a new lead.

"Grandville Cemetery. She passed away a month ago." He answered solemnly.

"There must be someone else, someone else you may have missed." Clark looked at him hopefully.

"I don't know. The only one who had contact with Duncan's family was Lionel. I'm not exactly high on his buddy list, not a good chance of getting him to talk to me." Oliver commented wryly.

Clark nodded determinedly. "I'll try. In the meantime, maybe you may want to talk about this with Chloe, because I'm pretty sure she'll find out about this somehow. You're keeping enough secrets as it is." Clark muttered under his breath.

Oliver glared at Clark. "You go and have that talk with Lionel. I'll check on Chloe, make sure that she's safe."

* * *

Chloe was deeply engrossed in the article. She was trying to see the connection between Oliver and Lex, aside from their years in Excelsior. She already did background checks on Alden and Geoffrey, nothing incriminating came up. 

Geoffrey had a thriving business back in Gotham. Alden was the typical trust fund kid, Chloe had a feeling that he would have been up to his eyeballs in debt if it hadn't been for his family. She even had to pull up her file on Lex, something that she hadn't done in years. But she was no closer to an answer on who was behind the attacks.

"Hey." Someone said quietly.

Chloe looked up from her reading and was surprised to see Oliver. "Hey." She gave him a small smile.

Oliver returned her smile half-heartedly. He leaned a hip against her desk, he was unsure on how to proceed. He was worried about her, at the same time he was worried about her reaction once she found out that he was a monster, a monster who contributed to his schoolmate's death.

Chloe placed a comforting hand on his arm. "What's wrong?' She looked at him worriedly.

"It's just…with everything that's happened; I don't want anything to happen to you." Oliver placed his hand over hers.

Chloe smiled at him tightly. "Funny, I was thinking the same thing about you." She gave him a pointed look.

"I know that you're trying to help. And I'm grateful, you have to know that. But I can't help but feel that you're putting yourself in danger. For me." Oliver took her hand in his. "I'm not worth it."

Chloe shook her head at his declaration. "I get to decide if you're worth it or not. You know that I'm going to find out whatever it is you're hiding, it's what I do" She said in a matter of fact tone. "You have to trust that whatever I find out about you…I'm not going to judge you based on your youthful indiscretions. I just want you to be safe." She smiled at him as she got up from her chair so she could close the distance between them.

"Life would have been much simpler if I hadn't gotten involved with a reporter." Oliver said in mock exasperation.

"Life wouldn't be half as interesting." Chloe said pointedly as she wrapped her arms around his waist.

"Too true." Oliver settled his hands on her waist and pulled her close to him.

Chloe stood on her tiptoes and placed a gentle kiss on his mouth. "Wise of you to agree." She leaned her forehead against chest, she felt completely safe in Oliver's arms.

"Good to know I've done something right." Oliver pulled away slightly. "Chloe," He tucked her hair behind her ear. "when this is over, I promise you we'll talk." He looked at her intently.

"I know." Chloe replied knowingly. "In the meantime, I'm going to continue with the digging and you, you go do whatever it is you need to do." She released her hold on him and took a step back.

"Why do you think I have something to do?" Oliver raised a brow at her pronouncement.

"You have a tell, I can see a determined glint in your eyes. Just call me, okay? I want to know that you're still alive." Her worry for him finally showed.

"I will." Oliver kissed her on the cheek.

He walked away from Chloe with great reluctance. He was worried about her, she was worried about him. He wanted nothing more than to take her in his arms and leave the madness. But he had to find out what happened, he had to make sure that nothing happens to Chloe. Oliver acknowledged the fact that maybe it was time for a heart to heart with Lex.

TBC


	11. Conflict and Resolution

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

AN: Okay, here's the next chapter. The conclusion of the episode 'Reunion'. Thanks to everyone who took the time to review the last update!!!! And I dedicate the last part to everyone who needed a Chlollie fix today. Now, on with the story...

Chapter 11

_Conflict and Resolution_

Chloe swallowed the gasp that threatened to spill from inside her. She saved her file and grabbed her phone. She waited impatiently for the answer.

"Chloe, what's wrong?" Clark asked worriedly.

"I have a lead." She replied shortly.

Clark was in front of her before she knew it. He looked at her urgently. "So?"

"Duncan Allenmeyer, the guy that Lex, Oliver and the rest of them were talking about, he's still alive." Chloe ran an agitated hand through her hair.

"I know." Clark said quietly.

Chloe's eyes widened at Clark's statement. "Okay, back up. How did you find that out?"

Clark looked at her hesitantly, seemingly unsure what to tell her.

"Oliver said something to you, which got you a lead. It's okay; you don't have to tell me anything." Chloe frowned slightly; she had no idea what she was supposed to feel. Her best friend and the guy she was dating were keeping secrets from her. On one hand that meant that the two were getting along, this meant that life for her would be a little easier. On the other hand she was a little wary at the thought of the two confiding in each other, or rather Oliver confiding in Clark. What could be possibly so bad that Oliver couldn't just tell her?

"It's not that I don't want to tell you." Clark said apologetically. "It's not for me to tell."

Chloe nodded. "I understand. So I checked on Mrs. Allenmeyer's phone records, she made a lot of calls to a facility just outside of Metropolis. I hacked into the hospital records and most of her phone calls were for a particular room. I'm betting it's for her supposed dead son. And guess who's footing the bill?" She looked at him archly.

"Lionel Luthor." He answered quietly.

Chloe looked unsurprised. "He's been paying for Duncan's treatment, I looked at his financial records and it seemed like Lionel managed to convince everyone that Duncan was dead and in exchange for his mom's silence, Lionel funded a medical research that focused on trying to repair the damage to Duncan's brain. I just can't figure out one thing."

"Can't figure out what?" Clark's brows furrowed.

"Why Lionel would go through such lengths to help the Allenmeyers?" Chloe had a confused look on her face.

"To protect Lex." He whispered. "Look Chloe, we should go check out that facility."

"Definitely, who knows what kind of treatments had been administered on Duncan? What if one of them worked?" Chloe looked at him worriedly. Oliver said that he had a meeting and he promised her that he would stay away from trouble.

"Come on." He eyed her expectantly and once she was secure in his arms they sped away.

* * *

Oliver pressed the intercom on his phone. "Yes?"

"He's arriving now, Mr. Queen." His secretary said politely, as always.

"Thank you." He said dismissively. He got up from his chair and waited in front of the elevator.

The elevator doors opened and revealed a stoic Lex Luthor.

"Lex, I was wondering how long it was going to take for you to pop up." He looked at the other man sardonically.

"I've been busy…at the hospital." Lex replied shortly as he stepped into Oliver's home.

Oliver nodded imperceptibly. "I heard about Lana. Is she going to be alright?" He folded his arms across his chest and waited for Lex' reply.

"She'll be fine. Not that you really care." Lex shot him a critical look.

"No, I do care. I care that a nice girl like that ended up with a guy like you." Oliver uttered in a hard tone.

Lex' gaze on him narrowed at his declaration. "Ever since you came to Metropolis, I've been kidnapped, my life put in jeopardy and now the woman I love is lying in the hospital." Lex walked towards him, a slight threat could be picked up from his attitude.

"And you think that's my fault. Sounds to me like bad karma." Oliver countered in a matter of fact tone.

"Go back to Star City, Oliver. While you still can." Lex shot him a glare before turning his back on Oliver.

Oliver looked slightly perturbed. "I've seen that look before." He said quietly. "When was it?" He put on a thoughtful expression. "Oh, yeah, when you almost beat your only friend to death back in Excelsior."

Lex whirled around and struck a mean punch smack on Oliver's left jaw.

Oliver shook off the pain and squared his shoulders. "That's good. First one's free; next one's going to cost you."

Lex moved to strike another punch but Oliver managed to block him. He grabbed Lex by his collar and flung him over his shoulder. He turned around and saw that Lex crashed onto his glass table; he winced slightly at the man's precarious position.

"Poor little Lex, always blaming everyone else for his problems." Oliver taunted the man as he tried to get up.

"Only when they're the cause." Lex practically snarled as he got up and tried to attack him again.

* * *

Chloe and Clark exchanged looks as they stood in front of the door that would lead them to one Duncan Allenmeyer. Chloe looked at Clark as she turned the knob. She sighed when she found out that it was locked. "It's locked." She said uselessly.

"Here, let me." Clark gently took her hand away and broke the knob.

The two went into the room and saw Duncan in a wheel chair. He did not seem to be aware of his surroundings and he definitely did not look like he was capable of getting up from his chair, let alone commit two murders.

Chloe marched over to the bed and checked his records.

"I'm no doctor, but I don't think he's in a coma, or even in a vegetative state like Lionel claimed he was." He gestured towards the machine that was monitoring Duncan's brain activity.

"It says here he's been undergoing a new treatment." Chloe beckoned to Clark so he could read what she was holding.

"12-B? And it's from refined meteor rocks." Clark and Chloe exchanged worried looks.

"Clark, they started injecting him with this two days ago. And the injection times… they coincided with the times that Geoffrey and Alden were attacked." Chloe's eyes widened as she tried to come up with a feasible explanation on how Duncan was able to perform the two murders.

"But Chlo, these treatments, they might stimulate brain activity but he's still in a wheelchair." Clark countered.

"Okay, this might be a stretch, but Lois mentioned something about astral projection a couple of days ago. Of course I didn't really think much of it. But is it possible that the new drug that he's on, maybe it triggered a part of his brain that allowed him to…at the very least control certain objects. It wouldn't be the first time that we encountered a telekinetic." She looked at him pointedly.

Clark nodded, it was plausible. "When was his last shot?"

Chloe inhaled sharply upon checking the information. "Twenty minutes ago. Clark, Oliver, he's going to be next." She clutched his sleeve tightly.

Before Clark could muster a response the machine that monitored Duncan's brain waves started beeping rapidly.

"It's happening again." She marched over to Duncan and watched him helplessly. She looked at Clark. "Clark-"

Her best friend nodded and was gone from her sight within seconds.

* * *

Oliver dodged Lex' attack easily. He clutched the other man's jacket from the back and threw him across the room. Lex landed heavily on the chair but it seemed like nothing could stop him from his assault.

"You never could take responsibility for what happened to Duncan." Oliver shouted at him angrily.

"Like your hands were clean." Lex retorted with such hatred.

"No, not even close. But since then, I've been scrubbing them real hard, yours are only getting dirtier." He responded scornfully.

The fight was at a standstill. The two men were looking at each other with profound distaste for the other. Their standoff was disrupted by the glass doors that lead to the balcony. The glass was rattling loudly; it wasn't long before the glass shattered into pieces.

Oliver pulled Lex out of the way and the two of them ended up sprawled on the floor. Lex was knocked unconscious by the fall.

"Lex." Oliver got up with great effort and shook his former schoolmate lightly. He got no response. The whirring of the two doors that hid his Green Arrow weaponry grabbed his attention and he looked around to see if he missed something, or someone. He watched as an arrow rose from his arsenal and it had its aim at him. Before he could duck for cover the arrow shot towards him, hitting square on his right shoulder, pinning him helplessly against the wall.

Oliver gritted his teeth at the pain. He was slightly horrified when he saw another arrow rise from the weaponry and this time it was the one that released an electromagnetic pulse upon hitting its target. And just like the first time it shot towards him. Oliver closed his eyes and braced himself for the impact, but it never came. He opened his eyes and saw that Clark was standing in front of him, setting off an electric charge. The pulse rippled around them. Oliver saw an invisible figure seemingly affected by the charge, in a blink of an eye the figure disappeared.

* * *

Oliver walked into Lex' study confidently. When Lex issued the invitation he was slightly wary. But his past mistakes compelled him to go anyway. He staggered to a stop when he saw Lana sitting with Lex.

"You're early." Lex said in a polite tone.

He smiled tightly. "It's not often I get invited into the Lion's den." He replied glibly. "I didn't want you changing your mind." He said admittedly.

Lana got up from the couch and smiled at him and then at Lex. "I'm sure you two have a lot to discuss. Mr. Queen." She said quietly before leaving them.

"You're a lucky man." He looked at the direction that Lana disappeared to.

"In more ways than one. I should be dead, yet here I stand." Lex remarked offhandedly.

"You would have done the same thing. Right?" He looked at Lex expectantly.

"I wanted to say thank you. And that's all I wanted to say. I'm sure you have business to get back to." Lex eyed the door meaningfully.

Oliver slipped his hands into his pocket. "Lex, what happened to Duncan…the way I treated the two of you." He paused uncomfortably. "It's not something I'm proud of. I want you to know how much I regret it." He looked at Lex remorsefully.

"And I regret ever thinking that I needed friends like you." Lex returned scathingly.

Oliver shook his head at Lex' obvious refusal to accept his apology. "I don't blame you. But don't make the mistake of thinking that I'm still the same person." He uttered just before turning his back on him.

* * *

Oliver headed directly to the Kent's farm after his meeting with Lex. He was there to fulfill his end of the bargain.

Clark was lugging a bale of hay when Oliver stepped into the barn.

"Oliver." Clark greeted him quietly.

"Clark." He returned in pretty much the same tone. "Here's my end of the deal. And thank you. For helping figure everything out." He handed Clark the envelop that contained the satellite images.

"I didn't do it alone." Clark said modestly as he accepted the envelop, supersped it somewhere and was back before Oliver knew what happened. "Chloe did majority of the digging."

"Seems like a pattern for the two of you. She digs and you save the day." Oliver commented offhandedly, he felt a twinge of jealously at the obvious dependence that the two had for each other.

"Yeah, well comes with the territory of her being my secret keeper." Clark gave him a meaningful look. "Why don't you sit down?" He gestured towards the staircase that led up to his loft.

Oliver eyed the steps dubiously before swallowing all his apprehension. The younger man just helped him out of a mess and he was not such a snob that sitting on wooden stairs was below him. He sat comfortably while Clark continued tossing bales of hay around.

"So, that thing that attacked us, Duncan's astral body or whatever you want to call it, must have been some form of electrical manifestation." Oliver informed Clark of what he discovered after the attack.

"It must be, that electromagnetic arrow of yours probably fried the projection and what was left of Duncan's brain." Clark answered as he hefted another bale. "Chloe thought that it was telekinesis." He chuckled softly. "She didn't believe it was actually astral projection until I told her what we saw."

"She was with Duncan the entire time?" Oliver looked at him with such interest.

Clark nodded. "I guess even after everything that Duncan had done, she felt sorry for him."

"At least Duncan didn't die alone." Oliver commented quietly.

"Yeah. You do know that you're not to blame for what happened to Duncan and to your friends." Clark stopped with his chore and looked at Oliver straight in the eye.

Oliver shrugged. "It's hard to accept that. I was a pretty rotten kid and I made some pretty bad choices. The only thing I can do now is hope that I make better ones in the future."

Clark nodded in agreement and a long silence settled over them.

"You guys are getting along." Chloe broke the long quiet as she entered the barn.

Oliver got up and Clark brushed his hands on his jeans.

"What are you doing here?" She asked Oliver smilingly as she walked up to him.

Oliver cleared his throat. "I dropped off the satellite images that Clark requested."

"What use would Clark have for them?" Chloe looked at him with such interest.

Clark blushed uncomfortably.

"Well, Clark mentioned that you were writing an article on the global effects of Dark Thursday and that he was helping you with it." Oliver replied easily.

Chloe nodded at his answer. "Yeah, I was trying to muster the courage to ask you for them myself. But it seems like Clark spared me the unnecessary worry." She gave Clark a mysterious smile.

"We can look the images later. I still have a few chores left to do. Oliver can keep you company." Clark stammered out awkwardly.

"Nice of you to give us permission." Chloe replied tartly. She hooked her arm through Oliver's and gave him a small smile. "Let's take a walk." She suggested quietly.

Oliver nodded in Clark's direction before giving Chloe a warm smile and walking out with her.

They had been walking for a few minutes. Chloe recalled Oliver telling her that they would talk once everything was settled. And it certainly felt like things were settled. They found out who was behind the attacks, Oliver and Lex were both alive.

"So?" Chloe turned towards her. "How have you been? Is your shoulder alright?" She looked at him worriedly.

"It's getting better." He patted said shoulder lightly.

"Good. That's good." She leaned against him and Oliver automatically held her closer to him.

"I know that the past few days…well they were tough." Oliver began.

"Yeah." Chloe smiled at him sadly.

Oliver placed his hand over hers. "You've made it more tolerable." He looked at her gratefully.

"The least I could do." Chloe said quietly.

"Look Chloe, what happened with Duncan-"

Chloe shook her head. "You don't have to tell me anything. Oliver, I don't need to know every detail in your life to know that you're a good man." She stated simply.

"I don't know if I am." Oliver muttered inaudibly.

"Yes, you are." She declared forcefully. "Whatever you did back in high school…it made you who you are today. And I think that over the years I learned how to read people. And you're definitely a good man."

Oliver smiled at her appreciatively.

"I just want us to be clear about one thing." Chloe uttered in a firm voice.

Oliver looked at her curiously. "Go on."

"Obviously what happened the last few days, well it gave me a look at what you're life has been like. And with what I do, it's going to be a recurring theme between us. I will find out certain things about you, which is not all that different from what you already know about me. I'm pretty sure you have a file on me." She shrugged that fact away. "But I want you to know, that I won't ask you about anything that I find out." She looked at him anxiously.

"And in return I won't ask you about anything in your past." He replied comfortingly.

"Unless it directly affects us…this." She gestured between them.

"Agreed." He held her tighter.

A long quiet settled over them. What occurred the past few days, it convinced him that he really wanted to be a more stable fixture in Chloe's life. The non-exclusive status of their relationship was no longer acceptable for him. He cleared his throat loudly. "Chloe." Oliver stopped walking and faced her fully.

Chloe's brows wrinkled in confusion. She actually thought that they were done with the heavy part of the conversation.

Oliver took both of her hands in his. "You have to know that I enjoy your company, immensely."

Chloe stiffened at his statement and prepared herself.

"But that's not enough for me." Oliver brought her closer to him. "I want more. I don't want to date you casually anymore. I guess what I'm trying to say, rather ineffectually, is that I want you to be my girlfriend." He looked at her ruefully. "As trite as it may sound." He added uselessly.

Chloe breathed a sigh of relief. She was expecting him to end things. Hearing him say that he wanted her to be his girlfriend, well it was a pleasant surprise. "Well it's about time." She grinned at him.

Oliver blinked a few times before he fully understood her meaning. "Pardon?"

"What I'm trying to say is that even if I do have a progressive view on the role of women in today's world, I'm still old-fashioned when it comes to certain things. I've been waiting for you to alter the parameters of our relationship." She looked at him pointedly.

"Okay, so are you telling that all this time you were just waiting for me to say the word?" He stared at her with disbelief.

"Not entirely, I was hoping for it." She gave him a weak smile.

Oliver pulled her into his arms and hugged her tight. "I have a feeling that life just got a little interesting." He smirked at her.

Chloe pulled away from him slightly. "I'd like to think so." She murmured just before she stood on her tiptoes and proceeded to shut him up with her lips.

TBC


	12. Breaking Point

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

AN: Okay here's the next chapter! This revolves around the episode "**Rage**", credit to tvmegasite, for the episode transcripts. I'm actually going to bypass any and all episode that isn't Green Arrow related. And much thanks to everyone who took the time to review the last chapter. I appreciate the feedback. Super shoutout to **pipersmum**, who will find out some answers to her questions! Just read between the lines, in case I didn't make everything obvious enough. And finally, this chapter is for **blackheart4life**, as an official welcome to the site!!!

_Breaking Point_

Chloe giggled when Oliver's lips moved downward to her neck. She felt his arms tighten around her when she squirmed on his lap.

"I'm trying to focus here." Oliver murmured against her skin as he continued his assault. He moved his lips so he could place a gentle kiss on her collarbone and then his mouth headed upward so he could claim her lips in a searing kiss.

Life did become far more interesting the moment they fully defined their relationship. Oliver made more trips to Smallville and Chloe stayed longer in Metropolis whenever she went to the Daily Planet for her internship. Life was pretty much perfect for the two lovebirds.

Chloe raked her hands through Oliver's hair as he kissed her passionately. She found his kisses entirely addicting. There were times that she had to literally push him away so she could catch a breath but then the process would start all over again. Oliver literally took her breath away and she wouldn't do anything to change the state of things.

Oliver had no idea that changing the parameters of his relationship with Chloe meant more physical contact. Throughout their courtship Chloe would give him a chaste kiss, either on the lips or on the cheek, when they said goodbye. But when he asked her to be his girlfriend, well she practically assaulted him with her lips. And Oliver just couldn't find the heart to complain. He found Chloe's lips completely intoxicating.

She was squirming on his lap again and Oliver could not help but groan at her actions. Making out was amazing, he had a feeling that it wouldn't be long before they took their relationship to the next level. But he was not going to pressure her into doing anything that she was not ready for, so he mustered all his self-control and flipped the two of them over so he was hovering above her.

An impish grin appeared on her lips as they switched positions. "Spoilsport." She said archly.

He pulled away slightly. "I'm just leveling the playing field."

She looked up at him dubiously. "Right." She drawled out disbelievingly.

"I guess I'll just have to prove it then." He smiled at her wolfishly and kissed her hard.

A distant ringing could be heard from somewhere in the apartment.

Chloe and Oliver stopped mid-kiss and looked at each other. They both recognized that ring tone. It always rang on the most inopportune time. Chloe fell back on the couch and closed her eyes, Oliver rested his weight on his elbows, still keeping the closeness between them and looked at her expectantly.

"I'm sorry." She uttered when she finally opened her eyes.

Oliver took a deep breath and placed a gentle kiss on her forehead. "Go ahead." He got up from the couch and offered her his hand so she could get up.

"I promise this won't take long." She fixed her blouse and grabbed her phone from her purse that she placed on the coffee table. "Hey Clark!" She tried to say as cheerfully as she could.

He watched her as she headed towards the bedroom so she could have some privacy. Oliver shook his head as he contemplated the number of times that Clark had interrupted them. He walked towards the double doors and stepped out on the balcony. He breathed in deeply and stared at the view.

His peaceful musings was suddenly interrupted by a car alarm blaring loudly. He leaned against the railing and saw a couple being carjacked by two armed men. He ran back into his apartment and quickly donned his Green Arrow costume. A part of him wanted to jot down a note for Chloe but people needed help. He headed back out to the balcony and shot off a cabled arrow.

"Please don't hurt her!" He heard the young man beg the thugs as they threatened the two with a gun.

Oliver landed on his feet silently and stalked towards the four. He watched as one of the criminals grabbed the woman's arm harshly and taunted her. "You want some of this?" The man waved his gang in the air threateningly.

"They don't, but I do." He remarked offhandedly.

Their attention shifted towards him and before they could come up with a decent comeback Oliver shot off an arrow that hit the man square on his shoulder, which promptly sent him flat on his back. The other guy scrambled towards the car and drove off recklessly.

He jogged towards the other side of the building. Oliver grabbed his longer bow and shot off another arrow and it managed to break the passenger window as well as the one on the driver's side. The car skidded to a stop, hitting random cars that were parked on the sidewalk. He smiled in satisfaction and took out a pair of handcuffs. He leaned over and cuffed the man to the steering wheel. "Don't worry. The cops will have a key." He muttered as he climbed out of the car.

"Surprise!" Somehow the other thug managed to recover from his attack and was pointing a gun in his direction.

Oliver felt like everything was in slow motion and he heard a gunshot. It took a moment before he felt a sharp pain on his chest. The force of the impact sent him reeling back, he dropped to his knees and soon he felt his back connect to the hard cement.

* * *

"I don't know, Clark." Chloe sighed quietly. The phone call was lasting longer than she expected. She understood that what happened with Raya shook Clark's firm belief that his biological father was a monster, a dictator. The Kryptonian woman's presence also soothed Clark's feelings of alienation. Her death had a greater impact on Clark, hence her inability to ignore any and all phone calls from her best friend. 

Oliver had been very patient throughout the entire process. It made her feel slightly guilty, after all they were in a new relationship and yet it seemed like she was still too focused on her best friend.

"I don't think I can be there by tonight." She replied to Clark's question. Moping was fast becoming Clark's favorite past time. It took a lot for him to snap out of mope mode.

"Are you sure Chlo'?" Clark asked sadly.

"I'll see what I can do. But if I can't go home tonight, I'll definitely be there tomorrow morning. Lois already reminded me to be there." Chloe said in a lighthearted tone.

"Okay. I'll let you get back to Oliver." Clark said goodbye just before hanging up.

Chloe sighed. She felt bad for Clark but she was not about to leave Oliver. She walked out of the bedroom, fully expecting to see Oliver out on the balcony. "Oliver." She called out when she did not find any sign of him.

There was no answer. Chloe shook her head and stepped out of the balcony. No Oliver. She sighed again and took out her phone. "Hey Clark! My schedule just cleared up. I might get there by two if I leave now."

"I'll pick you up." Clark suggested eagerly.

Chloe paused for a minute. "Can you give me a ride back tomorrow afternoon? I have to be at the Planet."

"That's doable." Clark replied.

"Okay then. Beam me up Scotty." She said laughingly.

* * *

Chloe entered the Kent kitchen with Lois. She ended up spending the night at the farm. She and Clark watched a late night movie after he picked her up at Metropolis. When Lois called her early that morning her cousin thought she was still at Oliver's place. It, of course, led to a minor rant on Oliver's disappearing act. 

"Hey, Mrs. Kent." Lois greeted Martha brightly. "Wow, are you feeding an entire army for thanksgiving?" Lois asked as she eyed the entire kitchen.

Chloe rolled her eyes. "Lois seemed to have forgotten that we're invited for thanksgiving. Only an amateur would think of the food as enough for an army." She looked at Clark for support.

Clark just shook his head in return; he didn't seem to want to have anything to do with their argument, which was not an actual argument anyway.

"Well I didn't invite an army. I'm cooking enough for six people." Martha replied with a gentle smile.

"Six, do you mean that Oliver's still invited?" Lois frowned at her.

"Why wouldn't he be?" Chloe retorted testily. Lois was really grating on her nerves. Just because she complained about Oliver's constant disappearing acts, it didn't mean that it was over between them. It was not as if he was the only one disappearing in their relationship. Chloe had to interrupt some of their dates just so she could investigate with Clark.

Lois held her hands up in surrender. "Don't direct that anger at me. Pretty boy's the one messing up."

Chloe took a deep breath. "Oliver's just busy. He's a businessman, who happens to employ hundred of thousands of people." She said curtly.

"I'm sure." Lois looked at her disbelievingly.

"Lois, maybe it's time to drop the subject." Clark suggested lightly. "What time are we leaving for Metropolis?" Clark asked her, in hopes of changing the subject.

Chloe gave him a grateful smile. "Maybe after lunch?"

"Speaking of the Planet, did you guys read today's paper?" Lois looked at her and then at Clark expectantly.

"No, why? Anything newsworthy happened?" Clark was eager to move the subject from Oliver.

"The Green Arrow was shot last night. A man found him bleeding and ran for help. When the cops got there all that was left was a bloodstain." Lois shook her head as she relayed what she read.

Chloe's eyes widened at the news. "Maybe we should head to Metropolis already." She looked at Clark pleadingly.

Clark nodded absentmindedly. It seemed like her best friend had something in his mind. But she had no time to dwell on it. She needed to get to Metropolis fast.

* * *

Oliver took a deep breath and then pushed up. He was slightly amazed at the weight that he was lifting. He exhaled and lowered the barbell. He did the process all over again. The sound of the elevator distracted him a little. He pushed up again and settled the weights back on the handle bars. 

"You're looking awfully healthy." Clark remarked offhandedly.

"It's called exercise, Clark. It's something we mere mortals have to do from time to time." Oliver retorted as he got up from the bench.

"According to the Daily Planet, the Green Arrow was shot last night." The younger man countered tightly.

"If I was shot, don't you think I'd be laying in a hospital or a morgue?" Oliver shot back. He grabbed his shirt from the chair next to him and slipped it on. ""I'm not bulletproof like you are, Clark. Besides, you of all people should know better than to believe everything you read in the newspaper."

"It's the Daily Planet, not the Inquisitor, the paper that your girlfriend works for." Clark reminded him acidly. "A witness saw you lying in a pool of blood." He added unnecessarily.

"Well, maybe it's someone else with a preference for green." He replied with such indifference. He grabbed a towel and ran it through his hair.

"What's your Green Arrow gear doing out in the middle of the room?" Clark gestured to his Green Arrow costume that was hanging on a chair.

"I'm uploading a video." He tossed the towel onto the chair where he had his gear and picked up his sunglasses. "Check this out. See that?" He pointed to his TV. "Now I've got a footage of the scumbags, so if they try to get away, I can track them down." He concluded proudly.

"Oliver, you're getting sloppy. Your gear's out in the middle of the room, the door's unlocked. That could have been Chloe coming through the door. You ditched her last night." Clark shook his head in disapproval.

At the mention of Chloe, Oliver could help but be angry. "Don't talk to me about her! You're always hanging around my girlfriend. Did you hear me? My girlfriend, not yours, mine!" He stalked towards the table and grabbed a glass of water.

"I've been pretty busy lately. In case, you haven't noticed there's a crime wave in Metropolis. While you've been busy using your powers to bale hay, I've been out there patrolling. While you've been moping over whatever it is that drives you to mope like you do, I've been exposing myself to danger." He sneered at the younger man. "Are you ever going to get off your ass and finally do something for a change?" Oliver looked at him with such disdain.

"I didn't come here to be insulted." Clark uttered furiously.

Oliver gestured to the door with his glass. "There's the door, I don't remember inviting you in." He retorted arrogantly.

"Oliver, what's going on with you?" Clark's tone switched to worried.

"Clark, I don't need to be interrogated by someone whose only worry in life is to protect his own identity." He looked at Clark critically before taking a sip of his water.

"That's a lie and you know it." Clark's eyes narrowed at his accusation.

"Let me tell you something, when I'm out there, when I'm out on the streets," He gestured to the balcony with his glass. "I'm protecting people. I got a lot of things to worry about, like staying alive!" As he said those words his grip on the glass tightened and he managed to break it with his bare hands, he winced when he felt the glass on his hand. His blood seemed to be flowing freely.

"You okay?" Clark was looking at him worriedly.

Oliver glared at him in annoyance. The boy could switch emotions in a snap of a finger. "I'm fine. Just get out of here."

"Are you sure?" Clark looked at him uncertainly.

"Go!" He snapped at Clark as he examined his hand. Oliver grabbed a towel and held it to his injured hand. He heard the elevator doors closed. Once he was sure that Clark was gone he walked towards his desk and pulled out a drawer. He snatched a syringe and injected his arm with the green liquid.

Oliver could no longer feel any pain. He wiped his hand with a towel and he smiled slightly when he could no longer any sign of his injury.

* * *

Chloe was trying to work her way around the flowers on her desk. She smiled slightly as she remembered arriving at the Planet and being greeted by the sight of the basement filled with flowers. Oliver was obviously sorry for ditching her the night before. Now if only she could get ahold of him. 

"Since when did the Planet become a florist shop?" Clark was standing in front of her desk and was looking slightly aggrieved.

Chloe sighed softly. "They're from Oliver." She smiled at him helplessly.

"Do you mean to tell me that you're going to forget that he ditched you too many times just because he's smothering you with flowers?" He was giving her a critical look.

She shrugged. "It's not as if it's a one sided disappearing act." She looked at him pointedly. "And he gets points for doing this." She gestured around them. "He's obviously begging for forgiveness for leaving me last night."

"Well, if he shows up to beg for forgiveness in person, maybe you shouldn't talk to him." Clark uttered with such intensity

"Why shouldn't I?" Chloe looked at him suspiciously.

Clark refused to meet her gaze. "I-I went to talk to him after I dropped you here."

Chloe shook her head in exasperation. "You didn't." She closed her eyes and rubbed her temples in agitation.

"I was looking out for you." Clark reasoned quietly.

She took a deep calming breath. "Clark, I know that your heart is in the right place. But you should have let me handle Oliver. It's my relationship after all."

"I know. But it's part of my job as your best friend. I told him not to hurt you and I felt like he was doing just that." Clark replied in a placating tone.

"And I appreciate it. I really do. But this is between Oliver and me." She said simply.

"The thing is…when I got to his place. I found a needle and I syringe. I don't think it's doctor-prescribed, I think Oliver's doing drugs." He stammered uneasily.

Chloe shook her head resolutely. "No, he can't be. He's just not the type of person who would turn to drugs."

"But Chloe, I saw him, he was injecting himself." Clark insisted.

"Look Clark-"

"Chloe, I used my x-ray vision. I saw him." Clark remained firm.

"He's not doing drugs. There must be some sort of explanation. Do you really think that I would get involved with a druggie? Come on, Clark." She rolled her eyes. "I know everything there is to know about Oliver."

"Not everything." He mumbled to himself.

"I may not have superhearing but I heard that. I know everything." She gave him a meaningful look.

Clark shifted uncomfortably. "Are you sure?"

"Yes. I know that you think that it's not your place to say anything, but I know." Chloe met his gaze fully.

"You're not mad?" Clark looked at her warily.

"No. But I am going to go see him right now." Chloe got up from her chair and grabbed her purse. She was going to investigate Clark's claims and she wanted to make sure that Oliver was okay.

TBC


	13. This is how I break

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

AN: Okay, here's the next chapter. I had hoped to be done with **Rage** by now, but for some reason this chapter refused to cooperate so I guess that means the next one would wrap up that episode. As always credit to tvmegasite for the transcript. And to everyone who took the time to review major thanks. I wouldn't be updating tonight if it hadn't been for those who left the much needed feedback from the last chapter. I dedicate this part to **shadowglove**, who would never be able to forgive Ollie if he dared hurt Chloe. I was thinking the same thing, part of me wanted to stick with the way that the episode actually happened, but then I thought, hey this is my universe nor, so yeah, this is the result. Okay, enough with the babble, on with the story...

Chapter 13

_This is how I break_

"You're a miracle worker, doc." Oliver declared as he walked into the lab.

"We need to talk, Mr. Queen." The doctor said in a businesslike tone.

Dr. Pamela Black was an up and coming biochemist, who had been teaching in Princeton, until he hired her for special research. Queen Industries just granted her millions to experiment with cutting edge medicine.

"We certainly do." He nodded agreeably. I finally found myself injured enough to use the RL65. And it works, perfectly." He gave her a sardonic smile. "And not just once, I cut my hand and after one injection I was completely healed."

"Well, don't take anymore." Dr, Black looked at him such gravity.

Oliver's brows furrowed. "Last time I checked doctor, you worked for me." He stated matter-of-factly.

"The lab mice have been exhibiting irrational cognitive behavior. And more troubling, violent tendencies." The doctor actually looked worried as she spoke.

"I am not a mouse." He informed the woman in a hard tone. "I feel perfectly fine." He added evenly.

"Do you?" She gave him a piercing look. "No lapses in judgment? No sudden outbursts of anger?"

He gave her a measured look. "No, I haven't. But I am starting to feel one coming on right now."

"It's not worth risking possible psychosis just so you can climb Mt. Everest or parachute out of your Learjet." There was a trace of desperation in her voice.

His eyes narrowed at her statement. "This isn't about my recreational activities, doctor." He said with a sneer; the woman had no idea that he risked his life on a daily basis. "We're on a verge of a medical breakthrough that could save countless of lives. I'm more than happy to be a guinea pig." He walked up to a table and grabbed a couple of vials of RL65. "Trust me, I can handle a little temper tantrum." He said dismissively as he walked out of the room.

* * *

Chloe entered the clock tower. No one stopped her as she entered her elevator. She was glad that Oliver remembered to tell the doorman that she could come in anytime she wanted. It was a step in the right direction for their relationship. She stepped into the Oliver's domain and looked around hopefully.

"Oliver." She called out quietly. There was no response. She looked around surreptitiously and saw that the place was a mess. It was completely unlike Oliver to let his home become so disorganized. "Ollie, Ollie oxen free." She called out again.

A long quiet was her only reply. Chloe sighed heavily. She didn't want Clark to be right. She liked to believe that over the years she was better at judging the character of the men she dated.

She took a seat on the chair across from his desk. She was pretty sure that Oliver would not be making an appearance. Maybe she should have called first before barging into his home.

Her gaze roamed around the room. The mess was really getting to her. The reporter side of her was itching to snoop around. Investigate Clark's claims. But another part of her wanted to respect her boyfriend's privacy and trust that he would not do something so stupid. Her eyes landed on the balcony. She hopped to her feet and headed for the veranda.

The view was breathtaking, as always. Her gaze automatically sought the Daily Planet. She wondered idly if Oliver ever went out right where she was and just looked at the building and thought of her.

She sighed resignedly. There was no point in staying there. Oliver wasn't there. She went back in and decided to leave him a note.

_Dear Oliver,_

_Just wanted you to know that I dropped by today._

_Obviously, you weren't here. Thanks for the flowers._

_I loved it. Call me, so I can thank you personally._

_XO,_

_Chloe_

She stuck the note on his computer monitor. She looked around the room one final time, picked up her bag and headed for the elevator.

* * *

Chloe steeled herself as she once again entered the basement of the Daily Planet. She stopped at a nearby Starbucks and got her java jolt. She needed a little pick-me-up since she was not able to spend some quality time with her boyfriend.

She frowned slightly when she saw Clark waiting at her desk. Clark was pretty adamant with his claims. He was her best friend and she trusted him implicitly. "Hey." She uttered when she reached him.

"Hey." Clark replied quietly. "Now don't be mad. But here." He placed an empty vial in her free hand.

"I take it this wasn't a party favor." She gave him a critical look.

"I broke into his apartment." He said guiltily. "I think there might be some residue left on it."

"When did you break into his apartment?" She eyed at him incredulously. "I was just there."

"I know." He shuffled his feet uncomfortably. "I saw you when you left. I supersped there and took that." He gestured to the vial. "I don't think he is getting high. Maybe this would explain everything."

Chloe dropped her bag on the floor, right beside her desk. "I can't believe you did that." Her frown deepened. "Clark, you violated my boyfriend's privacy." She looked at him in disappointment.

"Look Chloe, I'm the biggest sponsor for privacy. You know that." Clark refused to meet her eyes. "But when it comes to your safety…I don't want anything to happen to you. And if I have to violate the privacy of everyone living in Metropolis just so I can ensure your safety, I'd do it." He asserted with such determination when he finally found the courage to meet her gaze.

She felt her anger deflate at his declaration. Clark was clearly affected by the situation and as always he used his own brand of coping mechanism. She placed a comforting hand on his arm and she could feel the tension on his muscle. At her touch he seemed to deflate as well.

"I know that you want me safe, Clark. And I appreciate it, I really do. But next time that you feel like invading Oliver's privacy for my sake, maybe you should warn me first, so I could either stop you or join you." She gave him a small smile.

Clark looked at his shoes and then he gave her a shy grin. "I promise."

She nodded in approval. "Okay, I'm going to get this to my bio-chem buddy at Met U. Hopefully; he hasn't left for Thanksgiving already." She grabbed her phone and made a quick phone call, while Clark watched her avidly.

"So?" He looked at her expectantly once she hung up.

"Could you superspeed this to Met U, at the Watkins Hall?" She asked distractedly as she held up the vial for a closer inspection before handing it right back to him.

"Um…Chloe?" Clark started quietly.

Chloe looked at him with her brows furrowed. "What's wrong?"

Clark jerked his head in the direction of the staircase.

"Oh." Chloe bit her lip at what she saw. She raked her hand through her hair. She completely forgot that she was supposed to have lunch with Lana today. She looked at Clark apologetically. "Clark, I'm so sorry."

Clark's gaze was downcast as he nodded. "It's okay. You were worried about Oliver."

"Hi." Lana said when she reached the two of them.

Chloe smiled tightly. "Lana, I know that we were supposed to have lunch-"

"It's okay Chlo', I can come back later. Just give me a call once you know something." Clark offered generously.

Lana just looked at them with interest.

She shook her head imperceptibly. "Lana, I meant to call you earlier. I already took an early lunch." She gave Lana a look filled with contrition.

"Oh." Lana looked at her with such disappointment, which only made her feel worse.

"You guys can go get some coffee…" Clark tried to suggest but he trailed off when his eyes landed on the to-go cup that she was holding.

Chloe threw the cup away guiltily.

"It's okay Chloe. We can reschedule." Lana said softly.

"I should go." Clark interjected quietly. "I'm gonna go." He gave her a meaningful look.

Chloe nodded. Clark was obviously eager to get the result on the vial, just as she was. "Look for Brian; he's on the second floor, room 262." She mumbled softly, she looked at Lana to make sure that she didn't hear a thing. Fortunately, Lana was still in Clark standard time.

Clark muttered a quiet goodbye before heading out.

The two women watched as Clark stumbled out of the basement. Chloe sighed inaudibly and focused her attention on Lana. "Sorry if I forgot our plans to get together." She smiled at Lana sheepishly.

"It's okay." Lana was still staring in the direction that Clark disappeared to.

Chloe smiled wryly when she realized that she didn't have Lana's full attention. "So, what's up? You were kind of vague over the phone when we talked about lunch." She looked at Lana expectantly.

"Oh, yeah. I was hoping you can look something up for me." Lana looked at her uneasily.

She looked at her friend with renewed interest. She could use a distraction, her guy was behaving erratically, and until she got the result from her chem buddy she wouldn't be able to confront Oliver. What better way to pass the time but to investigate something else. "I guess I can do that." She marched to her desk and sat down. She waved Lana to the chair across from her and Lana sat down dutifully.

"So what are we digging into?" She asked eagerly.

"I'm, curious about a halfway house that Luthorcorp Foundation supports. I offered to get involve but Lex won't let me anywhere near it." Lana pursed her lips in displeasure.

"Well, most halfway houses are not exactly amusement parks, Lana." She said dryly. "Maybe Lex just wants to keep you safe." She opened up her internet browser so she could get right to searching.

"I don't think that's it." Lana shifted in her seat uncomfortably. "Lex swears that he's honest with me, but lately he's been a little secretive."

Chloe nodded. She knew that feeling very well. If she could offer her friend some reassurance she was all for it. "Don't worry, we'll figure it out." She replied comfortingly.

Lana offered her a small smile. Before her friend could speak, Chloe noticed that Lana's eyes took on a glazed quality. Her hand hang limp on the side of the chair. She got up from her own seat and looked at Lana worriedly. "Lana, are you okay?" She patted her cheek lightly.

Lana seemed to have snapped out of her haze when Chloe touched her. "What happened?" Lana looked at her in confusion.

"I lost you there for a minute. Are you okay?" Her brows furrowed in worry.

Lana sat straighter in the chair. "I'm okay. Good thing I was sitting down." She said ruefully.

"Are you sure?" Chloe looked at her intently. "I'm going to get you some water and maybe something with sugar in it."

"I'm okay Chloe. Really, I guess I'm just tired. Can we go back to the topic at hand?" Chloe could hear a trace of irritation in her friend's tone.

She sighed and went back to her desk. "Okay. But when we're done I'm getting you a muffin. The guys from the eighth floor offered me some earlier." She insisted gently.

Lana laughed. "It's a deal."

* * *

Oliver entered his home raucously.

He yanked his tie off his neck and headed for his desk. A note was stuck on his computer monitor. He snatched it up and smiled slightly when he saw Chloe's handwriting. He was happy that she received the flowers; it was obvious that she wasn't totally mad at him for ditching her the night before. Maybe if she knew what he was doing she wouldn't be mad at all. After all she did have Clark Kent as her best friend.

At the thought of the younger man his mood changed entirely. The way that Clark barged into his home, firing off one question after another, as though he answered to him, irritated him. His eyes narrowed in remembrance. Clark acted like he was superior to him just because he had powers.

He opened the topmost drawer of his desk and placed Chloe's note inside. Over the course of their time together Chloe developed a habit of giving him notes, even if it was as mundane as wishing him a nice day. He kept every single one of them.

Oliver allowed himself a full minute to enjoy the thought of Chloe. Once he was done he turned on his TV and played the video of the night he got shot. He watched out for the shot of the shooter. Unable to get a clear look, he replayed the video and looked at the screen intently.

A clear shot of the man who fired the gun appeared on his screen. Oliver pressed the still button so he could imprint the man's face in his memory. Satisfied with the image, he marched over to the secret wall panel so he could put on his Green Arrow costume.

He was outfitted in his green leather suit within minutes. Oliver pressed the side button to close the panel. He placed the glasses over his face, grabbed the vials of RL65 from a drawer and was all set to go when the elevator doors opened; revealing one wide-eyed Chloe Sullivan.

* * *

It took two hours before Chloe got the call on what exactly was in the vial that Clark procured for her.

RL65 was a cutting edge drug that modified tissues at the molecular level for regeneration. In lay man's terms, it was a drug that advanced healing on any type of injury. But as amazing as the drug may seem, it also attacked the amygdala and caused the person who used the drug to develop aggressive and violent behaviors.

She neglected to call Clark with what she found out, she wanted to deal with Oliver on her own. If he was indeed using the medicine, then he would probably be behaving erratically. And whether she would like to admit it or not, Oliver had some issues with Clark and her relationship with Clark. It would be better if she was the only one who did the confronting bit, it wouldn't do to alienate him further by ganging up on him.

She didn't expect to find Oliver in all his Green Arrow glory when she reached his place. Chloe looked at him warily. He was looking at the balcony longingly and then at her.

"Hey." She said quietly, hoping that he would choose to stay rather than escape.

Oliver finally breathed again when he heard her say the word. She did not look spooked at the sight of him. It confused him a little, why wasn't she freaking out? It was as though she expected to see him there. Not the Oliver Queen him, but his Green Arrow persona.

"Ms. Sullivan." He replied in the same tone.

Chloe's brows furrowed. "Why are you being so formal, Oliver?" She gave him a piercing glare. A part of her wished he had his glasses off so she could fully see his reaction.

Oliver stiffened upon hearing her sharp retort. "You must be confused." He uttered in the most businesslike tone. He could feel a burning rage welling inside him. Did Clark tell Chloe his secret? He wanted nothing more than to rip the farm boy into a million pieces. It was not his place to tell her. It was his secret, not his! He had no right to interfere with his relationship. It was bad enough that Clark interrupted his dates with his girlfriend too many times. He understood the dynamic between them. But the gall of that dumbass! Oliver growled in frustration.

She scowled upon hearing him. Chloe walked up to him determinedly. She wanted to rip the glasses off his face. "I am not confused. I've known for a while that you were the Green Arrow, Oliver. I'm not an idiot." She said resentfully.

Oliver automatically settled his hands on her waist. He couldn't help it; she was so close, too close for comfort. "Clark told you." He murmured with such hatred.

Chloe shook her head in denial. "He never told me. I figured it out for myself." She reached up and gingerly took the glasses off.

He grabbed her hand to stop her but her expression stopped him instead. She looked disappointed, hurt and slightly awed. "How?" He blurted out softly.

She shrugged. "I added two and two, came up with four. The Green Arrow popped up a few weeks after you got here. Your debut as the green leather hero just happened to occur at the very same party that you invited me to. And then you lied about Westcott waylaying you during said party. He was right next to Lois the entire time you went Robin Hood on us."

Oliver was quiet. Did she really know about his heroic proclivities for that long? How come she never confronted him about it?

"And then Clark just happened to befriend the new hero in town about the same time I introduced the two of you." She gave him a small smile. "Finally, you pulled a few too many disappearing acts. And the very next day Lois prints a new article on the Green Arrow." She finished somewhat lamely.

"Why didn't you confront me about it?" He asked gruffly as he raised a hand to caress her cheek.

Chloe fiddled with the glasses. "Because I wanted you to tell me, I wanted you to tell my in your terms not mine. But you didn't. And now it's like you're on some drug binge." She looked at him accusingly.

Oliver took a step back at her accusation. He gritted his teeth in anger. The reason she was there was because of Clark. Clark probably came running to her the moment that he told him to get out of the apartment. He probably warned Chloe not to talk to him.

"This drug…it's dangerous, Oliver" She took a step forward; she was slightly bewildered at his sudden need for space. Chloe winced at the thought that he might go on the defensive because of her tone. "You shouldn't be injecting yourself with a drug that hasn't even been approved by the FDA. You shouldn't be letting Dr. Black use you as a lab rat." She continued determinedly. Whatever happened she was going to make sure that Oliver stayed safe.

"You don't know anything! I risk my life every time I step out there as the Green Arrow." He gestured towards the balcony angrily. "I'm not Clark Kent! I'm not invincible like he is." He looked at her with such resentment.

"I know." She lowered her gaze upon hearing the anger in his voice. "That's what makes you a hero." She said quietly when she finally met his gaze. She took tentative steps towards him. "But using drugs, it's not going to help. The side effects…they far outweigh the benefits." She placed a comforting hand on his arm.

Oliver's eyes narrowed at her statement. Why is she so determined to pursue the subject of RL65? Didn't she understand that if it hadn't been for the new drug he would be dead? "If I hadn't taken it I would have been dead? Is that what you want?" He yanked his arm away from her touch.

Chloe gasped at his accusation. "I would never want that. This isn't you talking, Oliver. this is the drug talking. Continued usage and high levels of RL65 would cause you to behave irrationally and-"

"And what?" He cut her off. "Violently? I haven't harmed anyone; in fact I'm trying to help people, strangers, unlike that farm boy of yours." He concluded snidely.

Chloe glared at him. "Would you stop bringing up Clark? This isn't about him. This is about you. I don't want to read another article on how the notorious Green Arrow was shot. Do you know what it's like to read that someone you care about was in danger? And I couldn't even do anything about it because I wasn't supposed to know that you and the Green Arrow are one and the same." She stalked towards him and poked his chest with her forefinger.

Oliver grabbed her hand to keep her from jabbing him again. His demeanor softened slightly at her confession. "I didn't know." He uttered quietly.

She wrenched her hand from him. "That's right! You didn't know. I've been patient with you. I let the fact that you abandon me at the worst times because I understood that it is part of who you are. I accepted it. Now, all I want you to do is lay off on the drugs, because I'm worried about you. But you can't even do that." This time it was her turn to take a step away from him.

Her emotions were getting the better of her. A part of her resented the fact that Oliver didn't tell him about his heroic tendencies, but then again it was only because of her reporter's instinct that she found out the truth. Another part of her was desperate. She didn't want him to do something dreadful, all because of a drug.

"You don't understand." Oliver brushed back the hood from his head.

"I understand alright." She looked at him calmly. "You think that the drugs would make you better. In your head you keep comparing yourself to Clark. In your mind, using that drug would level the playing field. But you're not Clark, Oliver." She gave him a pleading look. "In a lot of ways you are more of a hero that Clark will ever be. He's…he's still lost. But you, you have a clear picture of who you are, who you're meant to be. I admire that about you. I think you are simply amazing." She uttered breathlessly.

Oliver stood stock-still, mesmerized by her declaration.

"You may not have Clark's invincibility or his great strength. But you have the very qualities that he desperately needs." She met his gaze fully, to convince him that she was speaking the truth. "He still needs to find the same courage that you have, so he could be the hero that you already are. And your drive, it's what makes you the Green Arrow; it's what pushes you to wear that green leather whenever you think there's danger. And your heart, it's your heart that actually moves you to do something." She closed the distance between them and wrapped her arms around his waist.

"You know in your heart that using some dubious drug for your mission is wrong, because it endangers you and everyone around you." She whispered achingly.

Oliver's closed around her automatically. "Chloe-"

"You know I'm right." She looked up at him and he saw the determined glint in her eyes.

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He mentally went over everything he had done while under the influence of RL65. She was right. He had been behaving erratically, he practically tossed Clark out of his place and he had been feeling emotionally unstable lately. It was a miracle that he hadn't raised a hand to Chloe when he was overwhelmed with rage. He would never be able to forgive himself if he hurt Chloe.

"You're right." He murmured quietly. "I won't use it anymore."

Chloe's grip on him tightened and she smiled at him tearfully.

"But there's something I have to do, the thug, the one who shot me last night. I have to find him." Oliver uttered with such determination.

She nodded as she dropped her arms to her side. She looked at him, trying to read him as best as she could.

"I need to bring him to justice. The couple he attacked, he was going to kill them. I'm not going to let someone like that roam the streets of Metropolis." Oliver took both of her hands in his. "I hope you understand."

Chloe nodded again. "I understand completely…just come back to me?" She looked at him uncertainly.

"You know I will." Oliver clutched both her hands to his chest, trying to convey his sincerity to her.

"Okay. Then we can go see Dr. Black? She can't keep developing a treatment that has such a dangerous effect." Chloe gazed at him resolutely.

Oliver nodded. When Chloe Sullivan was right, she was right. There really was no arguing with her. The ill-effects of RL65 would be even more dangerous if it fell on the wrong hands. "Thank you." He murmured as he once again cuddled her to him.

Chloe allowed him to hold her for another minute. Everything was going to be okay. She gently pushed him away and then grabbed the back of his neck and planted a chaste kiss on his lips. "Now go be a hero."

TBC


	14. Wrath of One

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

AN: Okay, here's the last installment of the **Rage** episode. Sorry if it took a while, too much stuff going on in RL. Anyway, as always, credit to tvmegasite. And a big warm thank you to everyone who reviewed the last chapter. I appreciate the feedback!! Special shoutout to **Balance**, who liked my definition of a hero. Now, I'm not trying to make Clark less of a hero. But I do feel that those who have more to lose (e.g. their life) and still chose to be the champion of the people, well that defines a hero, at least to me. And also to **shadowglove**, who expressed the same disdain that I feel for Lana. Finally, to **atruwriter**, all I have to say is just watch out for the upcoming chapters. Okay, that's it I think. Oh, please read my AN at the end of the chapter. I have an important decision to make and you guys get to make it for me. Thank you. Now, on with the story.

Chapter 14

_Wrath of One_

The Green Arrow landed on top of the roof with a quiet thud. The man that he was looking for was right before him. The thug looked up upon his appearance and his eyes widened upon seeing him.

"I put a bullet in your chest." The guy stammered out in disbelief.

"And now you're going to pay for it." Oliver uttered threateningly and raised his crossbow in the man's direction.

"I don't think so." Was the arrogant retort.

Before Oliver could muster a response the man took a swan dive off the side of the building. He raced towards the side and saw him lying on the ground. In a blink of an eye the criminal got up and started running. He shot off a cabled arrow to the side of the building across the street and he was once again in front of the man he was starting to loathed.

"Hey buddy! How'd you survive that fall?" He started conversationally as he grabbed the man by the shoulder and tightened his grip ever so slightly.

"Yoga. Now let go of me." The man demanded pompously.

"I don't think you're in any position to make any demands." He replied lightly. "You maybe able to heal, but that doesn't mean you don't feel any pain." Oliver uttered menacingly as he punched the man in the gut.

The thug coughed at the contact. "Let go." He murmured weakly.

"Not until you start talking." Oliver countered easily.

"There's this doctor who comes to the halfway house. We get these shots they say are vitamins." The guy blurted out indecorously. "Some vitamin, huh?" The bastard had the audacity to smile at him.

Oliver struck another punch and the man merely grunted in return. "What's the doctor's name?" He asked quietly.

"How am I supposed to know?" The guy glared at him.

The Green Arrow shook his head in disapproval. "What does he look like?" He tightened his grip on the man's shoulder.

"It's not a he. She's a chick." The man's knees buckled at his hold.

Oliver's jaws clenched upon hearing the answer. "Thank you. Now let's get you to the nearest police station." He uttered with such satisfaction.

Oliver jerked the man up. He had some unfinished business to attend to.

* * *

Chloe walked towards the balcony and looked around hopefully.

Oliver had been gone for the last two hours. She expected him to be back sooner but so far there was still no sign of him. She sighed. There was something wrong. She had a feeling that Oliver's mission did not go as planned, thus his continued absence.

She raked a hand through her hair. Maybe it was time to call for back up. She walked back inside and grabbed her phone from her purse. It was highly unlikely that Clark would be pleased with the situation at all. "Hey Clark." She greeted her friend quietly. "Can you stop by Oliver's place?"

Chloe shook her head when she heard the ding of the elevator. She was pretty sure that Clark was behind the doors. She plastered on a smile once the elevator doors started to open. "Hey."

"Chloe, I was expecting your phone hours ago." Clark said as he stepped into the apartment.

"Yeah, I just had an intense conversation with Oliver." Chloe shrugged helplessly.

"Was he still acting strange?" He looked around the place, looking for Oliver no doubt.

"He's calmed down." She replied reassuringly.

"Are you sure?" He looked at her doubtfully.

She nodded. "He promised to stop taking the medication."

"Speaking of which, what was that thing anyway?" Clark narrowed his eyes, clearly using his x-ray vision to see if the place was devoid of the drug.

"RL65, it's sort of a drug that accelerated healing." She answered distractedly. "I hope he's okay."

"Where is he anyway?" Clark looked at her questioningly.

"He's on a green leather mission. He managed to track down the thug that shot him, said he was going to bring the guy to justice." She rubbed her temples in attempt to stave off an oncoming headache.

"And you let him go?" He asked incredulously. "Chloe, he may still have the drug in his system."

"Look Clark, I think I know Oliver." She murmured impatiently. "He wouldn't lie to me."

"How long has he been gone?" Clark countered in the same tone.

"Two hours. Maybe we should look for him." She bit her lip uncertainly. "I just feel like there's something wrong." She rubbed her arm uncomfortably.

"Okay. Where do you think he is?" Clark looked at her hopefully.

"I don't know." She looked out the window worriedly. "Maybe he went to the doctor who supplied him the drug." She had the same hopeful expression. "Pamela Black, maybe he thought he should put a stop to her research."

"Okay, come on. Maybe he is there." Clark held out his hand to her so they could superspeed to the lab.

"I hope so." She murmured quietly as she took Clark's hand.

* * *

A disconcerting quiet settled over the lab. Chloe and Clark exchanged cautious looks as they stepped into the room. The place looked as if it had been torn apart. Various equipments and supplies were strewn all over the floor.

Chloe took an uncertain step forward. She gasped at the sight that greeted her. Clark was beside her in an instance. He held her comfortingly.

Lying on the floor, blood everywhere, was one Dr. Black.

"She's dead." Clark uttered in a horrified tone.

Chloe squeezed her eyes shut. "Her place has been completely pillaged." She stated quietly.

"Chloe." Clark touched her arm in an attempt to comfort her.

She shook her head, eyes still closed. "He didn't do this." She murmured calmly but she was afraid to see the accusation in Clark's eyes. He was the one who witnessed the extent of Oliver's wrath. She didn't think she could handle someone indicting Oliver for the murder of the doctor.

"Look, drugs or no drugs, I don't believe Oliver would kill someone." Clark held onto her arm reassuringly.

Chloe's eyes fluttered open. She tried to decipher if Clark really believed what he was saying. She took a deep breath and finally found the strength to calm down. She gave him a tight smile, to thank him for his comforting words.

Clark looked around the room. "Who could have done this?" He wondered out loud.

Chloe's reporter instinct was finally taking over. She walked towards a file cabinet and found one that was open. "Clark!" She shouted in astonishment.

He rushed to her side and took the folders that she handed him. "These are files of people living in a halfway house. Second Chances?" He looked at her questioningly.

"Lex' foundation funds this place." She grimaced in displeasure. Who would have thought that this case was connected to the research that Lana contracted her to do?

"It says here that the doctor was giving those residents the same drugs that Oliver was taking." Clark's brows were furrowed as he looked at her.

"Lex co-opted Oliver's scientist." She shook her head in disbelief. Her worried gaze met Clark's. "Lex and Oliver don't have the best history."

"If he found out about this…" Clark trailed off, unable to finish the sentence.

Chloe frowned as she contemplated the repercussions. "Oliver may have gone straight to Luthorcorp to confront Lex."

"And he's confronting Lex as the Green Arrow." Clark dropped the folders on the floor. "Chloe-"

"Go! I'll try and catch up." Chloe waved him off as she picked up the files. Clark was gone in a blink of an eye.

She stuffed as much as she could in her purse. She would investigate later, for now she had to make sure that Oliver as the Green Arrow would not do something he would forever regret.

* * *

"The car is ready, sir." He heard Lex' minion inform Lex. Oliver raised his crossbow and shot of an electric charged arrow.

The man dropped to the floor instantly.

"Sorry, Luthor. Work's not over yet." He smiled in grim satisfaction at the surprise that was evident in Lex' expression. "Back to the office." He ordered with a wave of his bow.

Lex walked backward towards his fancy office. Oliver followed slowly.

He ordered Luthor to sit back down on his chair. Lex complied without complaint. Oliver took out a piece of paper from his secret pocket and placed it on the desk.

"What's this?" Lex looked up at him questioningly as he brought the paper to him.

"Sign on the dotted line." He said in a commanding tone. "All your assets will be divided among fifty global charities listed below."

His former classmate looked at the document dubiously. "Would you mind telling me what I've done to deserve this?" Lex asked him in such a calm manner.

Oliver sneered at the tone. Lex obviously took a page from his father's book. The man was unfazed in the face of his wrath. "After your lofty support of the Second Chance Halfway House, I think it's a natural step." He advanced towards Lex. "I went by to check out the facility, and after some gentle prodding, the director told me what you and Dr. Black were doing to the residents."

He went to the doctor first to verify the information that the crook gave him. He arrived to a dead Dr. Black. The facility was ransacked and he ended up checking the file cabinet and found files upon files on the residents of a halfway house funded by Luthorcorp. When he questioned the director of the facility he found out the extent of Dr. Black's deception.

An overwhelming rage flooded through him. That was when he found himself heading towards Luthorcorp.

"He was lying." Lex gritted out.

"Dr. Black is dead." He muttered darkly. "I never thought you were capable of such evil." He shook his head in disapproval. "Killing a woman to cover your tracks, that's just a record low, even for you."

"You're delusional." Lex yelled at him.

Oliver tsked at Lex' outburst. "Sign it."

Lex moved to do as he said. But then he raised the pen in the air and shook it forcefully.

"What are you doing?" Oliver glared at the man.

"It's out of ink." Lex muttered quietly.

Before Oliver could react Lex was pointing a gun at him. "Drop it."

"You first." He retorted sardonically.

"What do you think is faster, an arrow or a bullet?" Lex asked him arrogantly as he rose to his feet.

"There's only one way to find out." Oliver replied easily as he shot off an arrow.

Oliver never found out which was faster. Something or most probably someone knocked him unconscious.

* * *

Chloe only got so far as the front of Luthorcorp.

Something inside her refused to step into the building. She knew Oliver was not responsible for what happened to the doctor. But her biggest fear was seeing Oliver lose control, as the Green Arrow or even as himself. She did not want to be confronted by the full effect of the drug on her boyfriend.

But she also didn't want to be confronted by her lack of faith in him. She was about to step into the devil's lair when Clark called her and told her to head back to Oliver's watchtower.

So there she was. Holding a vigil at Oliver's bedside.

Clark was already at Oliver's place when she got there. Her boyfriend was lying on the couch, completely unconscious. She chastised Clark for not even placing him on his bed so he could be comfortable.

She was worried that Oliver had a concussion. So she dismissed Clark, she stayed with him, disrobed him of his Green Arrow getup and made sure that he was comfortable.

Oliver only woke up once and he was a little groggy. She made him drink some water before letting him sleep again.

It was almost seven and Oliver was sleeping peacefully. Chloe got up from the couch that Clark moved for her before he left. Her best friend was unwilling to talk to her about what happened in Lex' office and she had a feeling that Oliver had no idea what happened. She was exhausted, physically and emotionally. Chloe felt ill-equipped to handle the aftermath of Oliver's 'drug abuse.'

She stared at Oliver as he buried his face on his pillow. She smiled slightly. Oliver looked so carefree as he slept.

Chloe took a deep breath as she reached a decision. She placed a gentle kiss on his forehead and tiptoed out of the bedroom.

Once she was in the hall she released the breath that she didn't realize she was holding. It took all her willpower to walk to the living room and gather her things. She groaned when she realized that she had to endure a three hour drive to Smallville before she could actually rest. She was lucky that she did not have to be at the Planet, which meant she could relax before the Kent Thanksgiving extravaganza.

After a final look at the door to Oliver's bedroom she headed to the elevator. She wasn't sure what was going to happen to them.

* * *

Oliver glanced at the phone for the nth time.

He had no idea what happened at Luthorcorp. He had a feeling that a little Clark intervention happened.

The sound of the elevator stopped him from obsessing on a certain blonde. There was no trace of her when he woke up. He remembered clearly that she told him he was going to wait for him. Oliver shook his head and waited for Clark, because he was sure it was going to be Clark.

"Who am I dealing with, Jekyll or Hyde?" Clark quipped as he stepped out of the elevator.

Oliver chuckled sheepishly. "Just plain old Oliver today, Clark."

"You haven't broken any glass, that's a good sign." Clark remarked offhandedly.

"Right." He nodded. "So what exactly happened last night? I remember shooting off an arrow and that's about it." He looked at Clark expectantly.

Clark sat in the chair in front of him. "I got there just as you and Lex shot each other. I caught the bullet and the arrow basically bounced off of me." He shrugged carelessly. "I think your arrow was electric-charged so there was a feedback that knocked the two of you unconscious."

"Then you brought me back here." Oliver nodded again.

"I realize that you were only protecting yourself, that's why you pulled the trigger of your crossbow. I thought you were still under the influence of the drug but I know now that you weren't. What made you come to your senses?" Clark was looking at him with such interest.

Oliver leaned back on his chair. "Two things really. One of them was you; you would never kill anyone in the name of justice. I almost came close to killing people, just because I wanted to be invulnerable." He admitted quietly.

"Oliver, you do a lot of good in this world. You don't need to be indestructible to be a hero." Clark muttered in the same tone.

He merely shrugged in return.

"So what was the second thing?" Clark eyed him curiously.

"Chloe, she knocked some sense into me. Told me the very same thing that you said." He said ruefully. "She made me realize that a hero is more than his ability, told me that it's the heart that makes a person a true hero."

Clark smiled at his statement. "That's kind of part of her charm, knocking sense into people."

A thoughtful silence settled over them.

"Well," Clark broke the quiet. "I'm glad that you're back. Now come on, you have a standing invitation to a traditional Kent Thanksgiving." Clark got up from his chair and looked at him expectantly.

Oliver shook his head. "Thanks, Clark. I appreciate the offer, really I do. But Chloe is going to be there and I'm not sure if she even wants to be in the same zip code as me." He concluded somewhat mournfully.

He was pretty sure that no amount of flowers would make up for making her wait endlessly. And it was quite possible that she knew everything that happened between him and Lex. He couldn't stand the knowledge that he disappointed her.

Clark's brows furrowed upon hearing his words. "Why wouldn't she want to see you? She took care of you last night."

A flicker of hope burst in his heart. "She did?" He gave Clark a piercing stare.

Clark nodded in the affirmative. "I brought you here and she practically tossed me out the balcony when she saw you lying on the couch. She made me carry you into your room and she stayed with you the entire night." He concluded earnestly.

Oliver eyed the phone yet again. "She wasn't here when I woke up."

"I don't know what happened after I left last night. All I know is that I'd give anything to be in your position." Clark uttered with such gravity.

He looked at Clark with such interest.

The younger man seemed to understand his unspoken question. "Chloe, she knows everything about you. She knows that you're the Green Arrow and she was with me every step of the way yesterday. In fact she was the one who directed me to Lex." Clark took a deep breath before continuing. "All I'm saying Oliver, you don't have to hide who you are with Chloe. She understands completely and she would even go so far as to play the sidekick."

"I know." He muttered softly.

"I wouldn't give that up so easily." Clark gave him a meaningful look before heading for the elevator.

* * *

Chloe rubbed her eyes tiredly. She was expecting Lana any minute now.

The three hour drive back to Smallville did not help her sleep at all. Instead she compiled all her findings on the Second Chance Halfway House so she could give Lana the necessary information on what Lex was up to these days.

Oliver still hadn't called her which caused her to worry about the state of their relationship. It was a good thing that she had something else to focus on. She did not want to be the type of girl who constantly obsessed over her romantic life.

A knock on the door forced her to her feet. She opened the door and as expected it was Lana.

"Hey! Are you feeling better?" She greeted her friend brightly. Chloe could still remember the moment Lana became so pale and completely out of it.

"Hanging in there." Lana smiled at her weakly.

"Well, make yourself comfortable. I did my due diligence on the halfway house and I found-"

"Chloe…I'm not here to talk about that." Lana cut her off before she could narrate her findings.

"Okay." She looked at Lana curiously. Something was wrong with her friend. She still looked a little pale and a little out of it.

"I…" Lana began.

Chloe snapped to attention. Her weariness seemed to have disappeared at the distressed expression on Lana's face. "What's wrong?" She looked at her with such concentration.

"I'm pregnant." Lana murmured softly.

She had to blink a couple of times before she could fully digest Lana's news. "With Lex' child?" She blurted out unthinkingly.

Lana laughed quietly at her inadvertent joke. "Yes, with Lex' child."

"Okay." She placed a comforting hand on Lana's and gave her a weak smile. "Okay."

* * *

T

he moment she stepped into the Kent residence she felt burdened. Lana asked her to keep her condition a secret. She felt like her loyalty was being pulled in a hundred different directions.

"Hey Chloe!" Clark greeted her with a huge hug.

She returned the gesture half-heartedly. "Hey Clark, happy thanksgiving. Sorry if I'm late." She mumbled apologetically.

"It's okay. Although you missed one hell of a show, Lois was having the time of her life with the grill. I would stay away from the barbecue if I were you." He whispered conspiratorially.

Chloe giggled at his words. "Thanks for the warning."

"Clark Kent, stop insulting Lois' cooking and put the hotplate on the table please." Martha looked at Clark disapprovingly.

"Happy thanksgiving, Mrs. Kent!" She said cheerfully as she was once again on the receiving end of a Kent hug.

"Happy thanksgiving, Chloe." Martha smiled at her warmly. "It's too bad your father can't make it this year." She looked at her sadly.

"Yeah, but he promised to be here for Christmas." Chloe shrugged helplessly. She missed her dad terribly but he was enjoying his job at Wayne Enterprises. "And he said that if he can't come here, he'll just send me a plane ticket."

Martha hugged her again. "I'm sure he'll make it."

"Either way he said in no uncertain terms that we're spending Christmas together." Chloe declared happily.

Martha smiled at her enthusiasm. "So will Oliver be joining us?" She asked Chloe slyly.

Chloe felt the smile on her face freeze at the question. "I actually don't know." She admitted ruefully.

Clark's mom frowned at her answer. Before Martha could interrogate her further the doorbell rang.

"Chloe, that's for you." Clark appeared seemingly out of nowhere and smiled at her encouragingly.

She frowned at the knowing look on Clark's face and headed for the door. She knew who was behind the door before she even opened it. Clark was looking a little too smug for her taste and that was how she knew that her best friend meddled.

"Hey." Chloe gave her boyfriend a weak smile.

"Hi." Oliver was actually nervous. He wasn't sure that Chloe would want him to be there. But Clark was right. His relationship with Chloe was too precious; she meant too much to him that he refused to let cowardice dictate his actions.

"You look…great." She commented weakly.

"You look beautiful." Oliver countered sincerely.

Chloe blushed at the compliment. "Wanna come in?" She looked at him shyly.

Oliver captured her hand in his. "I was wondering if you'd like to take a walk with me." He looked at her with such hope.

She bit her lip uncertainly. "I really should help Mrs. Kent in the kitchen."

Oliver managed to control his crestfallen expression. "Oh."

"It's okay, Chloe. Go ahead." Martha gave her a reassuring smile.

"Hey Chloe! I could use some help with the salad." Lois walked out of the kitchen and looked at her expectantly. "I thought the boy billionaire was persona non grata in today's festivities." Lois said tartly.

"Lois!" Clark hissed angrily. "I'll help you with the salad." He uttered in a long-suffering tone as he grabbed her elbow and steered her back to the kitchen.

"Hey! Watch the goods, Smallville!" Lois grumbled in the same tone.

Martha smiled at the two's antics. "Go on." She smiled at the couple.

Chloe giggled at the joint Kent manipulation of her cousin. A part of her dreaded being alone with Oliver, another part wanted to be with him so desperately, just so they could clear the air.

Oliver tugged on her hand lightly. She rolled her eyes at his impatience and stepped out of the house. Oliver had to smile at the change of mood between them.

They walked towards the barn, where their privacy was ensured.

"So?" She looked at him expectantly.

"So…" Oliver lowered his gaze. He did not know where to begin.

"You're okay now? Are you completely drug-free?" Chloe held onto his hand tightly.

Oliver nodded. "Completely and I made sure that my company disposed of any trace of the drug." He uttered solemnly.

Chloe nodded in approval. "The doctor's murder, they caught the guy responsible. He was a resident of the halfway house."

"I know." Oliver finally found the courage to meet her gaze.

"So?" She said again.

"So…" He said again.

"Are we okay?" Chloe stopped walking so they could focus on each other fully.

"Are we?" Oliver countered hesitantly.

"I waited for you." She allowed their hands to intertwine as she stared at him searchingly.

"I know. I'm sorry." He looked at their joined hands intently.

"I'm not mad that you went to confront Lex." She divulged uneasily. "It was the waiting that got to me." Chloe admitted.

Oliver was actually surprised by her admission. He thought she was disappointed in him for trying to shoot Lex.

"I know that you're not invincible. I also understand the compulsion to help people. But last night…" She closed her eyes in remembrance. "I imagined the worst. I have an overactive imagination. And I kept thinking that you were in some back alley, lying on a pool of your blood."

"Chloe, I…forgive me." He wrapped his arms around her.

"I know you're sorry. And I do forgive you." She murmured against his chest. "I just realize that it's going to be a regular occurrence: you going out there, exposing yourself to danger." Chloe had to fight to control her emotions.

Oliver froze at her declaration. He released her hold on her so he could truly see her.

A heavy silence settled over them. Oliver was looking at her searchingly, while Chloe was studiously avoiding his gaze.

"I don't know what to say." Oliver whispered ever so softly. "It's part of me. I don't think I can just…I don't know." He raked his hand through his hair.

"I know." Chloe said understandingly. "I knew that the moment I found out." She shrugged weakly. "And I will never tell you to deny that part of you."

Oliver closed his eyes. He could see with such clarity, their relationship dissolving right before him.

Chloe watched as the agony rushed through him and felt like she was right there beside him. "I'll just have to get over it." She declared resolutely.

He inhaled sharply at her assertion. The steely determination in her voice was evident. He opened his eyes and tried not to look too hopeful.

"Maybe not get over it." She acknowledged ruefully. "I'll just try to cope better."

"Are you sure?" He had to crouch down a little so their gazes would meet.

She nodded determinedly. "I am. I just have a few conditions." Chloe smiled at him.

"I'm open to negotiations." Oliver responded eagerly as he once again enveloped her in his arms.

"I thought you might be. But we'll save it for later." She grinned up at him as she allowed her hands to settle on his chest. "We're celebrating our first thanksgiving together."

Oliver smiled at her before planting a chaste kiss on her lips. 'I am completely in love with this woman.' He thought to himself.

"I'm glad you're here, Oliver." She looked at him, slightly tearful.

"I'm glad I'm here too." Oliver replied with total honesty.

She stood on her tiptoes so she could give him a real kiss. But before their lips could meet a distinct shout was heard. "That would be my irrepressible cousin." Chloe sighed in exasperation. "We should head back." She muttered resignedly.

Oliver nodded in agreement. "Clark deserves a break from Lois." He disentangled himself from her but kept his hold on her hand.

"Hey!" She tugged on his hand at the jibe.

The two of them started for the house in a better mood than when they left.

TBC

AN2: As I mentioned earlier, you guys get to dictate what happens next. The next chapter can go in two ways. (A) I'll skip right ahead to the Hydro episode (this is especially for **pipersmum**). And gloss over the fact that Chloe and Ollie consummate their relationship. or (B) I can step into the unknown and write their first time. Now, mind you, I've never written a fic with serious adult content and this will be the first time I ever attempt suh a thing. But as a writer I would like to push my boundaries. I will take into account everyone's choice, you know stuff like whether you guys are the right age, or if you object to the denegrating the characters to their baser needs. This your chance to decide how the story will go, so...Ii trust you guys will make the wisest decision. Thanks for reading.


	15. Interlude

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

AN: I profusely apologize for the delayed update of this fic. I was stuck with my other fic and I couldn't write anything else. I felt completely blocked and then I had to get over my inner prude. Most of you guys voted for the consummation of Chlollie and I was really unsure how to proceed with this turn of events, I guess that contributed to the long delay. Much thanks to everyone who offered their advice on how to write a sex scene. Special shoutout to **pipersmum **and to **Glynnis007**, I appreciate the words of encouragement. So here it is...now I feel the need to remind you guys that this is the first time I wrote smut. I welcome any and all constructive criticism (because I really am using this as a practice run, for when I write Chlex ; ). Now on with the story...

Interlude

_One of those days_

Oliver had resigned himself to a Chloe-less evening.

Everything between them seemed to progressing at a normal pace. They managed to get through pretty tough moments and they were still together. And he would even go so far as to describe their relationship as a happy one.

At this stage of his typical relationship, Oliver usually started pulling back. The women he dated would also withdraw, mainly because of his inability to share every aspect of his life with them. But Chloe, Chloe was the exception to his every rule; she managed to squirm her way into his life, into his heart.

They had been dating for three months. And it was not such a leap to expect them to take their relationship to the next level. Yet they had yet to take that step.

Sex. Oliver liked sex; after all he was a regular guy, heroic proclivities and billionaire dollar account aside. Chloe enjoyed the physical aspect of their relationship, he was sure of it.

Two weeks ago marked a very monumental moment between the two of them. Chloe decided that they were ready to have sex. And she informed him of that fact in the most clinical way.

**_Sex Talk # 1:_ **

_"You have to get tested." Chloe declared as she walked up to him. _

_Oliver was reading a report on one of the investments that the vice-president of Queen Industries was convinced would double their profits. "Huh?" He looked at her blearily. The report was a hundred-page thick and he was going over it for the second time to make sure that he didn't miss anything. _

_Chloe dropped a chaste kiss on his lips. "You have to get tested." She repeated patiently. _

_"Tested on what?" He rubbed his eyes. "Do you have some sort of boyfriend gauge? You want me to take the test." Oliver finally managed to adjust to Chloe standard time. He captured her hand and pulled her closer to him. _

_She wrinkled her nose at his response. "I don't need a gauge to know whether you're a good boyfriend or not." She pinched his cheek daringly before dropping her hand on his shoulder and plopped onto his lap unceremoniously. _

_His eyes narrowed as he secured his arm around her waist. "So am I a good boyfriend or not?" _

_Chloe pulled back slightly and she gave him an impertinent grin. "You still need improvement. Now back to the topic at hand-" _

_"What topic?" He pulled her closer to him. Oliver did not know whether to be offended that she apparently thought that he still needed to improve or amused that she thought he needed further improvement. "About the test that you have failed to explain?" He leaned back and eyed her critically. _

_"You have to get an HIV test." Chloe stated plainly. _

_Oliver blinked once and then twice. "Pardon?" _

_"I said that you have to get an HIV test." She reiterated with such patience. _

_"Because you are so concerned that I might have contracted the disease from my numerous visits to __Africa__?" His brows furrowed as he stared at her. He could not understand why she would demand such a thing. _

_Chloe scoffed at his reply. "You haven't been to __Africa__ for over two years." _

_"I see, then why the hell would I need to get tested for HIV?" He gave her a penetrating stare. _

_She looked at him incredulously, which only served to irritate him. _

_"I think it is a perfectly valid question." He uttered coolly when she remained quiet. _

_"Oliver, are you seriously telling me that you don't know why I would want you to get tested?" She placed her hands on either side of his cheeks. _

_"Apparently it's not over your concern for me." He replied in a mocking tone. _

_Chloe sighed. "Dear sweet Oliver, think." She smiled at him fondly. _

_He looked at her uncertainly. She seemed insistent that he took the test. Did she know something he didn't? He had a well-renowned physician on retainer. He would have been informed if he contracted something. And then something just clicked. Chloe was on his lap, tracing random patterns on the back of his neck with her free hand, while the other was still caressing his cheek. "Oh." He blurted out unthinkingly. _

_She giggled at his reaction. "Yes oh, a bit slow on the uptake." She shook her head smilingly. _

_Oliver shot her a glare as he took her hand in his and allowed their fingers to intertwine. "I get tested every six months, even if I haven't been…active." He felt himself go red. _

_She bit her lower lip. "You're blushing." She murmured as she leaned her forehead against his. _

_"I am not." He muttered in an indignant manner. _

_"It's kinda cute." She commented teasingly. _

_Oliver rolled his eyes at her. _

_"I got tested today; I'll give you the result tomorrow." She planted a gentle kiss on his mouth before she got up from his lap. _

_He was slightly puzzled by the immediate shift of her mood. "I'll make sure you get my medical records tomorrow." _

_"Okay, now that's out of the way, contraception." She leaned her hip against his desk and looked at him patiently. _

_Oliver's brows shot up. "Condoms?" He suggested lightly. _

_"Typical." Chloe uttered in a long-suffering tone. "I talked to my doctor and she said that I can use the birth control patch-" _

_"Chloe-" _

_"Look, we're in a relationship. And it's natural that we talk about this. That way, when we finally get it on, we won't have to worry about the details." She interjected before he could say another word. "But we'll still need to use, as you suggested, condoms. I just want us to be covered on all sides." She averted her gaze from his. _

_Oliver got up from his chair, so he was looming over her as usual. "Okay. I'll do more research on the matter." He murmured determinedly as he tipped her chin up so he could see her beautiful hazel eyes. _

_Chloe smiled at him. "Thank you." She wrapped her arms around his waist and hugged him loosely. _

Oliver never had a conversation like that before. He never had a relationship that required such a thing from him. His 'encounters,' well, there weren't much thought put into them. But with Chloe Sullivan, he was discovering other levels of intimacy.

The sex talk made him uncomfortable, initially. But as he got over his discomfort, he realized that it made their relationship more profound. It felt as though sex was more than sharing each other's bodies. Oliver had the distinct feeling that once he and Chloe actually got to the act, it wouldn't be just sex.

He shook his head at his thoughts. Clearly, the woman was making him into a mush. He chuckled as he thought of the way that his college buddies would react if they knew that he was sufficiently whipped.

There were instances that Oliver thought that the two of them would finally take their relationship to the next level, only to be sorely disappointed afterwards.

The Green Arrow business was taking a lot of quality time away from his girlfriend. He was grateful that Chloe understood why he had to go. Every time he donned on the green leather she never complained.

There were times when she was the one who needed to bolt. Her status as Clark's sidekick also kept them from becoming intimate. Her phone would ring in the most inopportune moment. She always answered, because he always left when his police scanner alerted him to some criminal activity.

It was actually funny. Despite the fact that the two of them were in the same business, they never crossed paths. It was as though they established an unspoken rule: the Green Arrow took care of the regular criminals, while Chloe and Clark took care of the meteor-infected.

After their first sex talk, a week passed. And a second one occurred. The second was a little less pleasant.

**_Sex Talk # 2:_ **

_The television was on, but the volume low. _

_It was a rare night. Both he and Chloe were free, from any responsibility. __Clark__ had promised to patrol Metropolis. And so the two of them were cuddling comfortably on the couch, but of course cuddling took a turn for something more. They were on full make out mode. _

_"Oliver Queen." The TV blared out distinctively. _

_Chloe stopped mid-kiss and Oliver's lips landed on her chin. _

_Oliver inhaled deeply. "What now?" He murmured in a long-suffering tone. _

_She gently pushed him away and sank back on the couch. "They're talking about you." She said excitedly. _

_"And I am so fascinating." He replied sarcastically as he pulled her back onto his lap. _

_"Oh come on, you don't want to know why you're on TV?" Chloe patted his cheek condescendingly. _

_"They always mention Queen Industries on business channels." He commented dryly. _

_"Oliver Queen, of Queen Industries, ties second place with Lex Luthor as __America__'s most eligible bachelors." The woman on TV announced gleefully. Pictures of him flashed through the screen, one after another. "Unlike the Luthor heir, who is currently in a monogamous relationship with small town princess, Lana Lang, Mr. Queen has been MIA from the dating scene." _

_"MIA?" Chloe laughed quietly. _

_"Must we watch this drivel?" He muttered to himself. _

_"Shh…" She just waved him off. _

_"I think the entire female population just uttered a collective groan." The woman shrugged helplessly. "First Lex, now Ollie." She delivered a heavy sigh. "It's such a change for the blonde billionaire, who is reputed for being a consummate playboy." _

_"Consummate playboy?" Chloe's brow rose at the description. _

_"Could it be that someone had managed to capture the young Queen's attention for more than ten seconds?" The woman had a playful smile on her face. This time photographs of the women he dated flashed onscreen. _

_Oliver grabbed the remote and turned off the television. He tossed the controller onto the carpeted floor. "Where were we?" He grinned at her suggestively. _

_Chloe had a thoughtful expression. "That was a lot of women." She commented offhandedly. _

_He raked a hand through his hair in agitation. "Chloe…" _

_"I didn't mean it as an indictment. I was making a casual observation." She shrugged nonchalantly. _

_Oliver held her close to him. "I have a past, you know that." He said tiredly. _

_"I do." She replied earnestly. "So how many women have you slept with?" She got up from his lap and stood in front of him with her arms folded across her chest. _

_"We are not having this conversation." He stated firmly. _

_"Come on, we're both adults here." She chided teasingly. _

_"Do you want a list of my conquests?" He looked at her through hooded eyes. _

_Chloe rolled her eyes. "Fine, don't tell me." She sat back on the couch, right next to him. _

_Oliver took a deep breath. He placed his arm around her shoulders tentatively. "Those women, they don't matter to me." _

_Chloe turned sideways so she could face him. "Oliver, I know that I'm different. I know you well enough that I can say with absolute certainty that I am not one of your 'conquests.' I'm just curious, is all." _

_He reached out to tuck her hair behind her ear and remained quiet. _

_"Fine, consider the subject dropped. But just so you know, I've only been with just one guy." She said quietly. _

_His hand wanted to reach out and hold hers. "You're going to think that I'm a…" _

_"A what? A man-whore?" Chloe did what he wanted to do; she grabbed his hand and squeezed it reassuringly. "Whatever you say, it won't change what I think of you." _

_Oliver shook his head slightly. "I'm not proud of some of the things I've done when I was younger." _

_"Okay. Topic officially closed." She gave him a weak smile. "I'd probably hate whatever answer you give me, anyway. I mean, you are a gorgeous man and the fact that you're loaded. You can't help it if women throw themselves at you." She said ruefully. _

_He looked at her for a full minute, to assess if she was actually serious about dismissing the issue. _

_"I'm serious. Case closed, let's never discuss it again." Chloe gave him a cheerful smile. _

_"Are you sure?" Oliver looked at her apprehensively. _

_She nodded, with such determination that he was sure that she was certain. "I'm sure." She wrapped her arms around his neck. "You keep telling me enough that I mean so much to you. I think it's sticking." She smiled at him brightly. _

Chloe's phone rang before he could fully discern if she was serious. And the subject was never brought up again.

Plans to be intimate were consistently foiled, either by Clark and Chloe's propensity to get into the strangest situations or his own green leather calling.

And a few hours ago he got off the phone with Chloe. She was supposed to drive to Metropolis so they could spend much needed quality together. She called to tell him that she wouldn't be able to make it; apparently she was too busy babysitting for Clark.

So he resigned himself to being without her. At least for the night.

* * *

Chloe watched the numbers climb, nervously. 

Oliver had no idea that she was on her way up to his place. In fact, he thought she was still in Smallville.

She actually had no idea that she would be there either. But after Clark's little runaway, well, ran away, she had no reason to stay in Smallville. The plan was to spend some much needed quality time with her boyfriend and once she was free she saw no reason why she shouldn't go ahead with the plan.

It still did not explain her anxiety. Her relationship with Oliver was almost perfect. The two of them had been together for a while now. And they even decided to take the necessary precautions in the event that they finally engaged in sexual relations.

Chloe scoffed at the way her mind was referring to sex. It was just sex. Oliver was an experienced man; she knew that even before she agreed to be his girlfriend. Her nature refused to jump headlong into a relationship without knowing everything there was to know about Oliver.

But maybe that was the reason why she was nervous. A part of her felt like this was the night. After the numerous instances when they almost…consummated their relationship, only to be sorely disappointed, she really felt like this was it.

The ding of the elevator woke her from her stupor. The elevator doors opened and she stepped into the penthouse.

It was empty. There was no sign of Oliver. She sighed; maybe she was getting worked up over nothing. Oliver probably went on patrol.

She headed for the balcony absentmindedly. The balcony was her favorite place in Oliver's home. It afforded her the view of the Daily Planet and the rest of Metropolis. Chloe stopped in her tracks when she saw Oliver. He had his back to her and was leaning casually against the rail, completely absorbed with the view.

Chloe tiptoed lightly and placed her hands over his eyes, she felt him tense underneath her touch. "Guess who?" She whispered against his ear.

He relaxed upon hearing her voice. "I won't dignify this assault with an answer." He turned around and automatically gathered her in his arms.

She rested her head against his chest. She had missed him. He had been gone for three days, attending to his empire. She knew she made the right decision to drive for three hours so she could see him.

"I thought you said you won't be able to make it." Oliver pulled back so he could see her expression.

"Turns out I suck at babysitting." She admitted ruefully. "I figured I was going to the Planet tomorrow anyway, so I might as well spend the night here. That is, if you have no objections." She looked at him questioningly.

Oliver shook his head smilingly. "No objections at all."

"I thought so." She stood on her tiptoes so she could place a gentle kiss on his mouth.

Oliver met her halfway and the kiss was more passionate than Chloe intended it to be. She felt herself getting lost in the kiss. The sheer intensity of the contact made her feel as though she was burning.

He planted his hands on her hips and pulled her closer to him, as if he was trying to meld her into him. Chloe felt his tongue invade her mouth and she moaned helplessly. She slid her arms up his chest, clinging to him rather desperately.

Oliver groaned when her tongue touched his. The kiss changed dramatically. He felt something primal take over him. His arms closed around her with such ferocity and he began backing the two of them away from the balcony.

Chloe felt like the earth was moving. The next thing she knew she was sprawled on top of Oliver, the couch that she convinced him to buy was not in its usual spot. "Did you move the couch?" She inquired absentmindedly.

He laughed at her outrageous question. "I didn't move it." He smiled up at her. "We moved it."

She looked at him dubiously.

Oliver placed a firm hand on the small of her back. He sat up while making sure that she was secure in her arms.

"I suppose we also knocked down the lamp?" Chloe rested her arms around his neck and traced circles on the back of his neck idly.

He looked at the direction of the said lamp and smiled wryly. The couch triggered a chain reaction; the lamp was knocked off the end table and the table itself was knocked down. "Shall we move this to a different locale?" He placed a gentle kiss on her collarbone and rained kisses on her throat.

"That would be for the best." Chloe grinned at him.

Oliver smirked at her rakishly. His smirk widened when she shrieked as he got up from the floor. He kissed her tenderly to keep her from complaining.

She wrapped her legs around his waist and allowed him to fulfill his caveman tendencies. He distractedly carried her towards the direction of the bedroom. Chloe rocked her hips against his and he felt a surge of lust go through his entire body. He stopped in his tracks and backed Chloe against what he thought was the wall.

Chloe felt a corner of something pinching her back. When she opened her eyes, she found herself trapped against the bookshelf. Oliver dropped his hold on her legs, grabbed both of her hands and pinned them above her head. He brought her leg about his waist with his free hand and grinded against her. She whimpered at the contact. If she was not sure that tonight was going to be the night before, well she was sure now.

He vaguely heard something fall off the shelf. Books, he thought mindlessly. Those were probably books.

"Oliver." Chloe murmured against his lips. "Bed, now." She ordered decisively.

He tore his mouth from hers. Oliver nodded and he picked her up again. He growled when Chloe fastened her mouth on his neck and bit him hard. He steered them blindly towards the bedroom.

The mood changed the moment they stepped into the bedroom.

Oliver finally lowered her to her feet. He stared at her in wonder. The significance of the situation finally caught up to him. He was about to make love to Chloe Sullivan. They talked about his sexual past and they established the fact that he was a male equivalent of a slut. This moment, a culmination of countless hours spent together, it meant more to him than all his sexual encounters combined.

Chloe shifted uncomfortably under his stare. It was as though Oliver was looking right through her, right at her soul. Oliver placed his hands on her shoulders, his stare was penetrating. She took his hands in hers and guided them to the front of her blouse. He took the cue and unbuttoned her top. Her hands shook as she un-tucked his shirt.

They stripped each other of their clothing. He was down to his green silk boxers and she, her matching green lingerie. They smiled at each other; clearly Oliver's fondness for green was rubbing off on Chloe.

Oliver guided her to his bed.

She followed his lead blindly; the back of her knees hit the mattress and the two of them landed on the bed with a quiet thud.

Their gazes locked and the two of them shared an amused smile.

Oliver rose to his knees and helped her up to the same position. He placed his hand over her heart. Her heart was beating furiously. He guided her hand to his own heart, to let her know that he was just as affected. Oliver lowered his head and their lips met in a gentle kiss.

Chloe shivered as Oliver caressed her body with such tender affection. She felt like he was marking her, as his own. She allowed herself the luxury to explore his body. She ran her hands from the back of his neck and settled on his chest. She marveled at the quiet strength that his body exuded.

His hands shook as he reached behind her, to undo the clasp of her bra. He frowned when he felt nothing there.

Chloe giggled as he guided his hand to her breast. "Front clasp." She said simply. "Your hands, you're shaking." She looked up so she could see his eyes.

"You're my first." He uttered with quiet emotion.

She nodded tearfully. "And you're mine."

Oliver hauled her to him with rough ferocity. He kissed her furiously and she met his passion head on. Somehow, they managed to rid each other of the last piece of clothing that kept them from being completely naked.

Chloe arched her back when Oliver's lips brushed lightly against her breast. She cried out when his mouth fastened on her nipple. Her fingers threaded through his hair, determined to keep him where he was. She moaned when he paid her other breast with the same attention.

Oliver was feeling smug. Chloe was writhing helplessly against him. His superiority went down the drain when he felt her squeeze his ass. Her hand then traveled to his hip and moved to cup his arousal. He grunted when she wrapped her hand around his cock.

He laid her on the bed and reluctantly broke the contact between them so he could reach for condom, hidden inside his bedside table.

"Boy scout." Chloe commented teasingly as she pulled him back to the bed with her.

He growled in response and pounced on her once the condom was secure.

Oliver took her leg in his hand; he bent it up as he moved on top of her. "Are you sure?" He asked her lowly. He was willing to sacrifice his own pleasure if she wasn't.

"Shut up, Oliver." Chloe replied impatiently and once again, boldly grabbed his ass.

He took a deep, calming breath. He entered her tentatively. He groaned and closed his eyes as he felt her inner muscles clench around his cock. But her body closed around him, he lost the final remnants of his control. He drove into her with hard, deep thrusts.

Oliver released her bent leg. She automatically clasped him about the waist and her hips rose to meet his thrusts as his hands cupped her rear and lifted her to him.

She felt him drove into her for one final blinding thrust and she screamed when she felt her own body shuddering in response. She heard Oliver roar vociferously as he too reached the peak of his passion.

The two of them lay against each other, sweaty, completely spent and still intimately joined.

Chloe wriggled underneath Oliver. She felt hot and sticky. Oliver's weight was nice but she felt a little like she was being crushed.

He stirred against her slowly. He braced his weight on his elbow and held the condom in place as he pulled out of her. They both groaned at loss of contact. Oliver pressed a gentle kiss on her temple before he headed for the bathroom.

Chloe grabbed the bedcovers; the loss of Oliver's body against hers alerted her to the cold. She turned on her side and hugged the comforter to her. She felt like taking a shower but she was too satiated to move.

Oliver slipped under the covers and spooned behind her. He heard her sigh happily and he grinned lazily.

She grabbed his hand and hugged it to her chest. "I'm tired." She murmured quietly.

Oliver kissed her shoulder. "You're welcome."

Chloe shook her head. "Arrogant." She whispered sleepily.

He pulled her closer to him. She was drifting off, he could tell from her tone. He was tired himself, only his male ego kept him from falling asleep first. Her breathing evened out and her hold on his hand slackened slightly.

The woman ensconced in his arms just gave him something that he had been missing all his life. He told her that she was the first. He lost his virginity so long ago and yet it was truly the first time he ever made love to a woman. And she told him that she was his first as well. Oliver felt as though his heart was overflowing with love for her.

"I love you, Chloe Sullivan." He whispered to her ear, just as he too drifted off to sleep.

TBC


	16. Machinations

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

AN: Okay, here's another update. I wanted to post this when I have the update for 'No Exit', which I am currently still working on, so for anyone still reading that fic, I'm asking for more patience. Anyway, I would like to ask everyone to read the second AN at the end of the chapter, particularly those who haven't seen the episode **Hydro.** Thanks to everyone who reviewed the last chapter, I truly appreciate it, I'm glad I managed to convey exactly what I wanted the chapter to be. I wanted it to be light and funny, at the same time I wanted the depth of their feelings to be there as well. Thanks again, to everyone!!!! That said, on with the story...

Chapter 15

_Machinations_

Oliver felt someone shaking him. "Five more minutes." He grumbled as he buried his face against his pillow.

"Ollie!" Was the impatient reply.

He ignored the voice. He deserved another hour at least. His Green Arrow business kept him out until four in the morning. Seeing that it was a Friday and his meetings were in actuality phone conferences, he saw no reason why he shouldn't sleep in.

"Oliver Jonas Queen!" The tone was filled with such censure.

Oliver sighed heavily and finally sat up with great reluctance. "What time is it?" He ran a hand through his hair grumpily.

"It's seven already." Chloe looked at him disapprovingly.

"It's only seven? My meetings won't start until ten." He glared at her reproachfully.

"We're meeting Lois in half an hour or did you forget?" Chloe returned his glare with one of her own. His girlfriend was already dressed for a full day at the Daily Planet, a knee-length pencil skirt and a deep green sweater that made her hazel eyes sparkle, she looked beautiful as always.

He shook his head in exasperation. "I didn't." He muttered impatiently as he threw off the comforter.

Lately, Lois had been very insistent on spending time with him and Chloe. They would usually have dinner together, sometimes Clark would be there, or they would watch a movie and just hang out at his place. He actually did not mind having Lois around. She was entertaining; she had no problem saying what was on her mind. And watching her and Clark, well it was just incredibly amusing. 

However, he would really just rather stay in and maybe have breakfast in bed with his gorgeous girlfriend. But from her expression, breakfast in bed was the last thing on her mind. Chloe was rummaging through her overnight bag, something she always brought with her when she spent the night at his place, probably digging for her make-up, which she did not need.

"You should live here." Oliver blurted out unthinkingly.

Chloe looked at him incredulously. "Excuse me?"

Oliver got up from the bed and stalked towards her.

The thought had been in his head from quite some time now. Ever since they finally made love she had been spending more time in Metropolis, at his watchtower. The 'slumber parties,' as Lois liked to call them, were almost a daily occurrence. Her overnight bag rarely left his penthouse anyway. Besides, he loved having her around; waking up next to her was always a marvel to him. Come to think of it, he had been spending more time at home because she was there.

He still went on patrol and she would send him off with a passionate kiss. For the first time in his life, Oliver felt like there truly was a home to go back to and it was all because of Chloe.

Oliver wrapped his arms around her. "Move in with me." He said as he nuzzled her neck.

Chloe laughed softly. "Are you sure you're awake?" She settled her arms around his neck.

"Yes." He murmured against her nape.

She pulled away from him slightly. "This is a very serious decision, not something you blurt out so early in the morning." Chloe whispered quietly.

"I'm aware of that. But the offer is on the table. Think about it; take as much time as you need." He replied with such sincerity.

Chloe smiled at him. "Thank you." She then placed a chaste kiss on his lips before pushing him towards the direction of the bathroom. "Now go on and make yourself presentable."

Oliver rolled his eyes at her. "I always look presentable, comes naturally really." He grabbed her by the waist, kissed her long and hard. "Just a reminder of what you're missing because you insist that we have breakfast with Lois." He murmured against her lips when they finally parted.

She slapped his chest playfully. "Point taken, I'll make it up to you tonight." She promised seductively before letting go of him.

"I'll hold you to that." He looked at her critically before turning around so he could finally head for the bathroom.

"Don't you always." Chloe replied teasingly as she pinched his backside.

Oliver whirled around and caught her hand before she could violate him further. "Keep that up and we'll be standing Lois up." He muttered in a vaguely threatening tone.

Chloe giggled as she practically plastered herself against him. "I think I need another shower."

Oliver's eyes darkened with lust and affection for the woman who was trying her best to divest him of his shirt. "I think so too." He allowed her to remove his shirt and he then assisted her with her own sweater, after all, it was only fair.

They were an hour late for breakfast.

* * *

Chloe couldn't keep the smile off her face.

She was on her way up to Linda Lake's office and then she had only an hour left before she met up with her boyfriend.

Lois was a little pissed at them this morning. Not that she could blame her cousin, they were an hour late after all and she completely forgot to call her and tell her that they were going to be late. Lois, who blamed Oliver for their lateness, gave him the evil eye the entire time and was a little more scathing than usual with her comments. Her wonderful boyfriend just took every word in stride and remained the charming man that he was.

When Oliver left so he could head back to the watchtower and finally attend to his meetings, Lois finally calmed down. Her cousin squealed when she told her about Oliver's proposal, the 'reason' for their lateness. Lois acted like her acceptance was a forgone conclusion. Still, she was going to listen to Oliver and take as much time as she needed in order to decide what was best for her.

In her mind, Oliver still needed to gain her father's seal of approval before she could even think of living with him. She could only imagine how the meeting between the two would go.

The elevator doors opened and Chloe reminded herself to focus. Linda Lake was a glorified gossip. Personally, she felt that the Daily Planet could do without the gossip columnist. Unfortunately, they lived in a day and age where celebrities were constantly making spectacles of themselves; someone had to report the drivel.

Her boss told her to take up an article to Ms. Lake. Chloe was naturally curious and she took a peek of what was inside the folder. The paper was almost completely red; her editor went to town on Linda Lake's article. She felt a little proud of her own work; the corrections in her pieces were minimal.

"Finally!" A tall blonde woman declared emphatically.

She hid her annoyance pretty well. "Ms. Lake, I have the-"

"I need 11 copies of each by tomorrow morning, and before my macchiato goes arctic. Assistants just don't have the stamina they used to have." Linda Lake looked at her meaningfully as she tossed a file folder in her direction.

"With all due respect, Ms. Lake, I'm a reporter, not an assistant." She held out the folder to Linda.

"Of course you are." The woman said dismissively. "Unfortunately, Sullivan, what matters is that I can see Gotham from my new office, and you… oh, well, you, hon, you work below sea level." Linda informed her haughtily.

Chloe's shoulder stiffened at the jibe. She was a little surprised that Lake actually knew who she was, yet she was offended that a mere gossipmonger had the nerve to insult her. "At the risk of heresy, I would rather be snorkeling for the rest of my life than destroy a man's career based on rumor." Chloe countered icily.

The woman just destroyed the career of a Mike Dawson; she published a story on his use of drug enhancements with no concrete proof. She epitomized everything that Chloe hated.

"I only print the truth, and if you haven't noticed, I print it on page 1, section B every week." Linda practically sneered at her.

"If what you write, and I use the term lightly, is actually true, then you wouldn't be having so much difficulty providing us with actual evidence." Chloe glared at her. "My editor actually wanted your notes before he printed that…article." Chloe gestured towards the forgotten folder on Lake's table. "And he told me to tell you that next time, don't just click the ignore button when you're checking for spelling and grammatical errors." She said acidly before turning on her heels and walking out of the office.

* * *

Chloe glanced at the clock for the nth time. Oliver was due to arrive in half an hour and she hadn't received a phone call to the contrary.

They didn't have anything fancy planned for the evening. Usually, they would just stay at his place, he would cook for them and she was in charge of the dessert. Then they would watch either the news or a movie.

Their life together was simple. And Chloe actually loved the simplicity of her relationship with Oliver. It was a breath of fresh air; it gave her a break from the insanity that was Smallville and the meteor-infected.

She paused in her typing as she contemplated Oliver's offer for the nth time that day. Her boyfriend was serious in his desire to have her as a permanent fixture in his home. It would become their home. Oliver already cleared out a drawer for her, even before he asked her to move in with him, only she never made use of it. Her overnight bag was good enough for her. If someone told her that she would even have to make such a decision a couple of months ago, well she would have probably laughed uproariously.

A familiar figure in front of her desk kept her from dwelling on the matter any further. She smiled slightly. "I'm guessing you didn't ditch prime time on your social calendar to come and help me research the dwindling pigeon population." She commented wryly.

Lana had been incommunicado ever since she and Jimmy helped her find Lex when he disappeared in an alternate universe. It was actually Jimmy who helped them communicate with Lex and eventually helped them find the meteor infected who was responsible for the kidnapping. According to Lex' captor, the bald billionaire was delving into the darker side of humanity. Chloe felt that the claims of the deranged man had merit, only Lana refused to believe that Lex was capable of using people as science experiments.

Chloe understood her reticence. She could only imagine what her friend was going through, to be pregnant at nineteen and to be confronted by the possibility that the baby's father could be capable of such depravity. She was a little surprised to see her friend. What could have possibly changed that she finally made an appearance?

Lana did not even crack a smile. "Chloe, Lex proposed."

Chloe's brows rose at her declaration. "And?" She looked at Lana expectantly. There had to be something more to that, like an answer perhaps.

Her friend took a deep breath. "And I haven't given him an answer yet." She murmured softly.

She felt a wave of uneasiness course through her. Not just because of Lana's response. She suddenly felt like she and Lana were being watched. Her eyes swept through the office and she saw nothing, there was no one there, save for her and Lana. "I'm sure that's going over well." She remarked lightly as she started to pack her things.

"Lex and I are really in a great place right now, but-"

Chloe put a hand up the moment she heard the word but. She couldn't shrug off the feeling that someone was eavesdropping on their conversation. "Let's discuss this somewhere private." She replied in hushed tones.

Lana's brow furrowed but followed her lead.

She grabbed her purse and her laptop bag and led the way out of the basement. Her feeling of unease disappeared the moment that she stepped on the sidewalk. Chloe faced Lana again and looked at her expectantly.

Her friend looked at their surroundings. "This is your idea of private." A hint of amusement flickered in her expression.

Chloe smiled slightly. "Oliver's going to be here soon. I figured we can talk while we wait for him."

"Oh, you're still seeing him _and_ Jimmy?" Lana was giving her a disapproving look.

She fought the urge to roll her eyes at the question. She was pretty well-informed when it came to Lana's personal life. It was really too bad that Lana couldn't claim the same when it came to her life. "Jimmy's just a friend. Oliver and I have been in a very exclusive relationship." She smiled at her friend tightly.

Lana nodded slowly.

"So you were saying, about Lex' proposal." Chloe prompted mildly.

"Yeah, when he proposed, there's just something that wouldn't let me say yes." Lana lowered her gaze, studiously refusing to meet her eyes.

Chloe appraised her friend critically. She knew what that something was… it was more like someone. Lana Lang was still in love with Clark Kent. "Don't you mean someone?" She eyed her flatly.

Lana's focus was on her shoes. "When I was with Clark…I would have said yes without hesitating." She whispered guiltily. "I thought that chapter of my life was over." She finally raised her head and she was looking at Chloe entreatingly.

She stiffened at Lana's confession. There was just no ideal way to react to her statement. Lana was carrying Lex' child and yet she was still pining for Clark. She honestly did not know how to react.

"Chloe…" Lana looked at her expectantly.

"What do you want me to say, Lana?" She asked quietly.

Lana sighed. "Tell me what you really think." She looked at her with such earnestness.

"I think you need to talk to Clark." She uttered with such great reluctance. She and Clark hadn't discussed Lana for quite some time. And she had no idea if her best friend was still carrying a torch for her friend.

Lana sighed again. But before they could say more, a black town car stopped right in front of them. She looked at the car eagerly, hoping that Oliver was inside, there to save her from the conversation. She smiled brightly when the car door opened and revealed her Oliver.

"Oliver!" She burst out with such enthusiasm as she wrapped her arms around him.

Oliver chuckled at her greeting. "Missed me?" He asked her teasingly as he returned the hug.

She just smiled at him as she pulled away.

"Mr. Queen." The voice broke his staring contest with his girlfriend.

He looked at the person, who he unwittingly ignored because his attention was fixed on the woman in his arms. "Ms. Lang." He nodded politely. "Will you be joining us this evening?" He shot the question to Lana and he then looked at Chloe for her reaction.

Lana looked at him in indecision. He felt Chloe shake her head against his chest.

"Well, Oliver and I were just going to grab some dinner, you're welcome to join us." Chloe offered pleasantly.

Her friend looked at her and Oliver before shaking her head in response. "It's okay. I have to get going." Lana sweetly refused.

"It was nice seeing you again." Oliver held out his free hand to her.

Lana shook his hand politely and gave Chloe a tight smile before heading for her car.

"Want to tell me what was that all about?" Oliver pulled back from her so he could open the door for her.

Chloe just shrugged as she entered the car. She snuggled against Oliver once he was inside the vehicle. "I'm tired, can we just go home?" She murmured with a sigh.

Oliver could tell she was holding a lot back. But he also knew not to push her, she was probably just trying to sort everything out herself and she was bound to confide in him, once she processed it all. He placed a gentle kiss on her temple and smiled slightly as he replayed what she just said, she wanted to go home.

* * *

The newspaper was mocking her. She was sure of it. There was just no way that the Daily Planet could have printed what she just read.

Oliver dropped a kiss on the top of her head before he sat across from her. "Good morning, gorgeous!" He said brightly as he poured himself a cup of coffee.

Chloe nodded absently as she picked up the paper again. She glared at the inanimate object. She dropped it on the table before she tore it into pieces. The newspaper was saved when Oliver picked it up so he could have his daily news fix.

He automatically reached for the business section. But something on the front page stopped him. It was a picture of Lex Luthor and Lana Lang. He looked at Chloe and saw that she was lost in thought. "Hey." He said softly as he placed a hand over hers.

She had to blink a couple of times before she smiled at him wanly. "I've got to get going." She squeezed his hand before letting go. "I'll probably head back to Smallville tonight." Chloe murmured regretfully.

Oliver took her hand in his and allowed their fingers to intertwine. "Okay." He gave her a small smile.

"I mean the eventual blowout of this; it's going to be huge." She glared at the paper again.

"I understand." He replied gravely. He truly did, Chloe was the most compassionate human being he had ever met. And it was one of the things he loved about her. "Just don't let yourself be overwhelmed by this." He reminded her sternly.

Chloe smiled at him. "I won't." She kissed him lightly before heading back to the bedroom.

Oliver watched her as she disappeared into the other room. From his conversations with Clark, well he knew that the younger man was crazy about Lana. But the subject of his first love never came up again, after their conversation on how he should tell Chloe about his 'green secret.' In fact, Oliver would even go so far as to say that there was something going on between Lois and Clark. He shook his head in exasperation. Perhaps a trip to Smallville was in his future.

* * *

"Hey, Chloe."

Chloe looked up at the greeting. She had been staring at the newspaper. She was not sure when Clark would show up, apparently the answer was now. "Have you seen the Daily Planet this morning?" She asked him as she got up from her chair.

His brows furrowed at her reply. "No."

She sighed heavily. "Okay. Well, I can't let you find out from a newspaper." She muttered to herself. " Clark, Lex proposed to Lana."

"Oh." Was his only reply.

Chloe just watched him as he tried to process what she just told him.

"I guess congratulations are in order?" He looked at her quizzically.

She frowned slightly as she contemplated her next words. "She hasn't given him an answer yet." She reluctantly handed the newspaper to him.

She watched him as he read the headlines. "It says here that I'm the reason. The reason she hasn't given Lex an answer. I know better." He looked at her with disbelief.

Chloe shifted uncomfortably. "Part of me wants to tell you to talk to her. Another part…"

He placed his hands on either side of her arm. "Is this true, Chloe?"

She shrugged him off. "Things are more complicated than what Linda Lake wrote." She murmured quietly.

"Complicated?" He scowled, not understanding her at all.

"I told Lana to talk to you." She said flatly. "I just don't want you to get hurt." 'And you will get hurt,' she added to herself.

"I'll talk to her." He declared with such determination. He gave her a tight smile before walking out of the basement.

She sighed in defeat.

"Chloe, two words, Mike Dawson." A determined voice broke her from her inner musings.

She gave Jimmy a confused smile. "Why would I be interested in Mike Dawson, I don't even like baseball."

"Didn't you read the news today?" Jimmy grabbed the paper on her desk and pointed to the lower section of the front page. " Dawson's dead, they said he committed suicide." His voice was laced with incredulity.

Chloe moved back to her desk. "I take it from your tone that you don't believe it. So you're telling me that you think that Metropolis' favorite meathead was murdered?" She was equally dubious.

"Hey, now, that's my childhood hero you're talking smack about, and the one baseball card I still can't manage to snag." Jimmy replied in a mildly annoyed tone.

Chloe rolled her eyes. "So, why the homicide hunch on this guy?" She looked at Jimmy curiously. She was slightly grateful for the distraction, otherwise she would dwell on the fact that Clark was about to have a heart to heart with a pregnant Lana and that Lana was not answering her calls.

"The obit writer left me Dawson's file to scan his photo. Preliminary investigation is calling it suicide, but how's a guy, who's larger than life, drown in 2 feet of water?" Jimmy slammed his fists on her desk.

"Two feet of water?" Chloe looked at him in disbelief.

Jimmy nodded gravely. "Exactly. So, is Chloe Sullivan, intrepid girl reporter, sufficiently curious?" He smiled at her slightly.

"I guess we have an investigation in our hands." She grinned at her friend.

* * *

Oliver raked his hand through his hair. He was in meetings all morning and his afternoon was spent on the phone, managing his empire as Chloe fondly called it.

He rolled up his sleeves and sat back down on his chair. With his eyes closed he grabbed the topmost folder in the pile. It didn't take him long before he was fully engrossed in the proposal he was reading.

"Earth to Oliver." Someone waved their hand in front of him.

He finally looked up and found himself looking at Lois Lane. "Lois." He nodded politely as he glanced at his watch. "Are you meeting Chloe here?" He shot her an interested look. Chloe said she was heading back to Smallville, unless of course she changed her mind and they were going to have dinner with Lois, which was not an unusual occurrence.

Lois shook her head. "I'm here to pick up Chloe's bag." She looked around, in search of the said bag.

Oliver nodded and hid his disappoint well. "It's in the bedroom, I'll go get it. Make yourself comfortable." He smiled slightly when Lois just plopped down on the chair in front of him.

"Will do." Lois gave him a mock salute as she picked up a paperweight from his desk.

He shook his head as he headed to the bedroom.

"So, did Chloe give you an answer yet?" Oliver heard Lois shout from the other room.

His brows furrowed as he looked for Chloe's overnight bag. An answer to what? His gaze landed on the bag and he remembered that he asked Chloe to move in with him. He was slightly amazed that Lois apparently knew all about his offer. But then again the two cousins were really close. He walked back to the living room. "She hasn't." He replied coolly.

Lois shrugged. "You think she'll say yes?" She got up from the chair and held out her hand to take the bag from him.

Oliver just shrugged. "She's going to think it over." He said as he handed her the bag.

She nodded a couple of times. "Hey! What's that?" Her eyes widened considerably as she pointed to the gash on his upper arm.

Oliver looked at what she was pointing at. "It's just a scratch." He answered dismissively. Chloe went on full mother hen mode when he returned home from his nightly patrol, injured. She tended to his wound, a little melodramatically in his opinion, which he kept to himself. But he was grateful to have her there with him.

"A scratch, huh?" Lois' skepticism was written all over her face.

Her expression put him on high alert. He nodded noncommittally.

"How did it happen?" Lois eyed him with such interest.

Oliver's brow rose at what felt like an inquisition. "Fencing accident." He replied evenly.

Her eyes narrowed at him and she was quiet for a full minute.

"If you're interested, I could give you a lesson or two." He offered generously. "Chloe has expressed some interest in the sport; another student would not make a difference to me." He uttered as he walked back to his chair.

"I'll think about it." Lois responded tersely. "I better get going. Chloe's probably wondering what took me so long." She gave him a wave before making a beeline for the elevator.

Oliver just watched her, slightly perturbed by the entire conversation.

TBC

**AN2**: Okay, so as I said earlier, I have a few things to clear up:

1. I settled this a couple of chapters back, this fic is written in Chloe and Oliver's perspective, so I don't include anything that's going on without these two. So, that said, behind the scenes, Jimmy and Chloe have settled in a comfortable friendship, they still did save Lex in **Static**, just without the romantic entanglements (and Ollie isn't so thrilled, which you guys will get to see in the next chapter), Lois and Jimmy are collaborating together, in order to discover the Green Arrow's identity. Jimmy had given Lois photos of the GA with a wound on his upper arm, which she saw in this update, which made her suspicious.

2. I actually didn't like, at all, the way they made Chloe react to the entire Clana/Lexana debacle. There is after all a baby involved, I don't she's the type who would just throw Clark and Lana back together. So I just rewrote that entire thing. Also, I don't think Lina Lake would have escaped Chloe's radar, I mean completely undetected. So I made it out that Chloe still felt the presence of someone else, did something about the situation, although still with the same result.

3. Finally, I initially planned to write this fic until the episode **Justice**, I had the entire ending planned. But then you guys were asking about episodes beyond Justice, so I started thinking if I should carry on with the story. That's where you guys come in. Personally, I'm okay with either choice. I can end it where I planned to end it, or I could continue writing, just like the show, with the Chlollie twist. So you guys decide: (A) Shall I end this with Justice or (B) Shall I follow the storyline and make it Chlollie friendly? The future of this story is in your hands...okay so it's not as dire as I made it sound to be. Thanks for reading my ramblings and thanks for reading this fic.


	17. Contrived Plots

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

AN: Finally! I managed to finish this update. Been a while, but I finally posted again (while I'm in the midst of folding my clothes might I add). My deepest apologies for the long wait. School and work, not very conducive to my writing time. I have decided to keep writing this fic, even after 'Justice', but I will have to ask everyone to be a little patient with the updates. And those little reminders from you guys, well they are enough to keep me writing. So please let me take the opportunity to thank **pipersmum **(keep a lookout for something I promised)who reminded me a couple of weeks ago that I should update this fic already. And to **shadowglove**, who reminded me(cough beg) to update 'No Exit', which I will try to work on next. Thanks to everyone who reviewed the last chapter. I always like to hear your thoughts on what I wrote, so please, keep 'em coming.

Chapter 16

_Contrived Plots_

"Daily Planet."

"Yes, I would like to speak with a Miss Sullivan. You see she's my girlfriend, and I haven't heard from her all day." Oliver said dryly.

Chloe laughed quietly at his words. "Miss me already?" She asked teasingly.

"Not particularly." He replied in an airy manner. "I was just trying to figure out why you would send your cousin over to pick up your bag, when I could have easily brought it to you."

She winced visibly upon hearing him. She knew sending Lois was a bad idea but she had been talking to her cousin, complaining about her packed schedule and how she left her overnight bag at Oliver's apartment, which contained everything she needed to function. Before she knew it Lois was offering to pick it up for her and wouldn't take no for an answer. "What happened?" She waited in trepidation.

"Not much. She found the wound on my forearm extremely interesting." Oliver touched his arm as he answered. There was just something with the way that Lois was looking at his arm; it left him a little disturbed.

"Okay, that could be nothing." Chloe tried to be optimistic. There was no clear indication that Lois would think more of Oliver's wound. Still, she was relentlessly pursuing the Green Arrow story, so it wouldn't hurt to be constantly vigilant. "So what did you tell her?" She bit her lip worriedly.

"That I had a fencing accident, offered her lessons too." He murmured lightly.

"Did you, really?" She frowned slightly; fencing was not really Lois' sport. "How did she react?"

"Said she'll think about it, I took the liberty of including you in the fencing lessons, thought she'd be less suspicious if she knew you were interested as well." Oliver said in a matter of fact tone.

Chloe couldn't help the grin that formed on her lips, Oliver all hot and sweaty in his fencing outfit, very promising. "Good thing you told me, otherwise Lois would be even more suspicious if I had no idea what she's talking about when she mentions the fencing thing." She shook her head to keep her mind from drifting towards the gutter, particularly since there was no chance of acting on any lascivious thoughts.

Oliver nodded despite the fact that Chloe couldn't see him. "So, you're definitely going to Smallville?"

"Yeah." She answered somewhat mournfully.

"I could drive you." He offered eagerly. He would be facing a six hour drive, but it meant three hours with her so he didn't mind the least bit.

Chloe shook her head. "Nah, I'm not going to subject you to hours of driving, you need to rest. I'll be okay. You're the one I'm worried about. You're spreading your self too thin. Make sure that you at least get some sleep tonight, okay?" She murmured firmly.

Oliver smiled. Chloe always worried about him. It was actually nice. "Would you like to use the company chopper? It would cut down hours in your travel time." He offered again. It was completely unnecessary for her to drive, particularly when he had chauffeured limos, helicopters and jets at his beck and call.

She considered the offer. "I don't know. It just feels weird when I'm not with you. Besides, how am I going to get back?" She frowned slightly.

He grinned mildly. Chloe Sullivan, she really was a marvel. They had been seeing each other for quite sometime but she was still not used to the fact that he was a billionaire. Or rather, she refused to get used to his lifestyle. He would take her to places that only a black American Express could ensure entrance, in return she took him to her local hangouts, places that a person could lounge at for hours at a time, for only ten bucks. "Did you really think that I would offer just a one way trip?" He asked wryly.

Chloe laughed. "I know. But I feel like driving. It has been a while since I've driven myself, what with you constantly picking me up, taking me wherever I want to go." She added teasingly.

"But that's what boyfriends do, right?" His brows furrowed. As far as he knew guys were supposed to pick up their girlfriends. And since Chloe had rarely gone home to Smallville, their 'slumber parties' were after all becoming more regular and he had hopes of making them permanent, he picked her up from work. "If you'd rather I don't pick you-"

Chloe rolled her eyes. "Shut up Oliver. I was only teasing. I love that you pick me up."

"I'd pick you up any day." He murmured suggestively.

She was quiet for a long moment. "Cheesy, and a little below you, Ollie." She bit her lower lip to keep herself from laughing.

"I'd like you to be below me any day." Oliver tried again, in an even huskier tone.

The laughter that she was trying to control finally bubbled to the surface at his words. "Is it me or are we just horribly inept at talking dirty?" She asked between giggles.

He was smiling broadly, he couldn't help himself. It was the Chloe-effect, or at least her effect on him. "That wasn't dirty talk." He proclaimed arrogantly. "We'll get better." Oliver said with such promise. He heard her giggle quietly. "What's so funny?"

"I just jot down 'do better at dirty talk' as one of my goals." She murmured playfully.

He shook his head upon her answer. "I'll do the same." He replied. "So, what's been keeping you so busy, aside from the Clexana drama?"

"Clexana drama?" Her brows furrowed as she pondered the term.

"That's what they're calling the Clark/Lex/Lana debacle." He answered, a little defensively.

"Okay." She drawled out the word. "Well, I've been looking into Mike Dawson's death." She began excitedly.

"The baseball player?" Oliver leaned back on his chair as he listened to 'Reporter Chloe,' slightly different from regular Chloe. When she was in reporter mode she could talk a mile a minute and there was just something in her voice, a combination of passion and awe for her chosen profession. He thoroughly enjoyed discovering all sides of her personality and so far 'Reporter Chloe' was his favorite.

"Yup. He died this morning and Jimmy thinks-"

"Jimmy, as in James Olsen?" Oliver interrupted her exposition.

"Yes, that Jimmy. He got the-"

"The guy who likes you, Jimmy?" He once again interjected.

Chloe pulled the phone from her ear and stared at it in wonder. "He doesn't like me like me anymore." She countered. It was true, well perhaps half-true. She told Jimmy that she was seeing Oliver and only Oliver. Jimmy was a little hurt and he avoided her for a while. But then when she asked for his help during Lex' disappearance via meteor freak, well it went a long way to heal their friendship. Now Jimmy had fully accepted that she was no longer free to date him and they were friends. She remembered explaining everything to Oliver. "We're friends." She added.

Oliver scoffed at the other end. Friends, Jimmy, oh no, James, was probably waiting for the opportunity to steal Chloe away from him. And he was probably using this case to get closer to Chloe.

She heard Oliver scoff and she smiled slightly. "Are you jealous?" She inquired teasingly.

"Jealous? Of a bumbling photographer? I think not." Oliver answered stiffly.

"You are." She declared confidently. It was odd, she shouldn't be pleased that Oliver was behaving like a little boy who refused to share his toy, not that she was his toy or anything. But to hear a man in Oliver's position, acting like some territorial caveman, well it was amusing and a little touching.

"Am not." Oliver contradicted gruffly.

"Are too." She replied in a singsong.

"Am not."

"Are too."

Oliver rolled his eyes. "I refuse to play this game with you." He uttered in his most dignified tone. "Fine, I am jealous."

Chloe could feel herself turn into a pile of mush. She acknowledged that it took a lot of guts for him to admit to his jealousy. "Don't be." She murmured softly. "You're my one and only."

Then tension on Oliver's shoulders disappeared at her utterance. He felt the beginnings of a grin form on his lips. "Likewise." He stated quietly.

Chloe leaned back on her chair and smiled. There were times that Oliver was not the most expressive man in the world. But that one word, simple and succinct, she knew he meant it as much as she did.

Before they could say another word, a familiar figure appeared in front of Chloe's desk and the elevator at Oliver's place announced someone's presence.

"Hey, I hate to cut this short, but something came up." Chloe said distractedly as she stared at Lana.

"Same here." Oliver replied as the elevator doors and revealed Clark. 

"I'll call you." They said at the same time. It was enough to tear the attention from their unexpected visitors.

"Drive safely, okay?" Oliver held up his finger to Clark and turned around so he could have a semblance of privacy.

"I will. I'll call you when I get home." She smiled at Lana and mouthed 'one second' before turning her chair so she could have a bit of privacy.

"I'll wait for your call. And eat something, don't just drink coffee." He reminded her sternly.

"I won't. And you be careful." She reminded him in turn. He might go out on patrol and it had become her custom to tell him to be careful, a gentle reminder that someone was waiting for him to come back, safe and sound.

"I will." He smiled slightly. "I'm hanging up now."

"Likewise." She said solemnly, pretty much the same tone he used when he proclaimed that she also his one and only.

Oliver was wearing a wide grin as he ended the call. It was on the tip of his tongue to tell her that he loved her. 'One of these days.' He told himself as he faced Clark. "What can I do for you, Clark?" He rose from his chair and halted in front of the desk as he looked at Clark expectantly.

"Lois suspects that you're the Green Arrow." Clark blurted out unabashedly.

His brows rose at his friend's pronouncement. So his gut feeling was spot on. Lois did suspect something. It'll be interesting to find out how she arrived at that deduction. Chloe explained to him in great detail how she discovered his secret identity. She even showed him the timeline she created; it showed how his appearance in Metropolis coincided with the Green Arrow's debut. And her research on the arrows he used, she managed to trace the alloy he used back to Queen Industries. Suffice to say he made sure that he no longer left any evidence behind, it was time consuming but he had to remain vigilant when it came to protect his other persona

"What does she know?" He went straight to the point.

"She has pictures that Jimmy took of a wound on your arm-"

"Jimmy! Jimmy Olsen, bumbling photographer?" Oliver interrupted Clark. He was practically sneering when he said the name. He was truly getting tired of that guy, thorn at his side that was the best way to describe him.

Clark eyed him curiously. "Is there any reason why you're reacting like that?"

He simply waved him off. There was no reason that Clark should be aware of the fact that he wished that James Olsen died a thousand deaths, or perhaps a million.

His friend's brows furrowed but he went on with his earlier point. "Anyway, she also said that Chloe used to complain about your constant disappearance and how the very next day newspapers would come out with an article on the green Arrow's nightly activities." Clark finished grimly.

"What does she want to do with the information?" He leaned back on the desk as he tried to come up with ways to thwart Lois from discovering his identity.

"She wants to tell Chloe." Clark stated in no uncertain terms. "Lois thinks that her cousin ought to know the real you."

"Little does she know that Chloe already put two and two together, and has been helping me cover everything up." He replied matter-of-factly.

Clark nodded. "So what do we do?"

What do they do indeed? Oliver was all for keeping the secret, then again he was curious, what did Lois think of him, as the Green Arrow. Would she object to his heroic proclivities or had she changed her opinion of him? He didn't like the idea that Chloe would have to defend her relationship with him. He could vividly recall Lois calling him a no good thief in her earlier articles. And even after the Daily Planet had called him a hero, suffice to say Lois Lane of the Inquisitor was willing to play the devil's advocate.

"Ollie?" Clark was waving his hand in front of Oliver's line of sight.

"Clearly we have to destroy the evidence." Oliver said in a businesslike tone. "And make sure that she doesn't have any other copies."

Clark nodded in agreement. "I think I can handle that. But we have to do something to throw her off completely. Lois can be like a pit bull on a pant leg, she wouldn't be able to just let this go, particularly since this directly affects someone she loves."

Oliver inclined his head slightly. After all Lois was related to Chloe, it was not such a leap to assume that the very same tenacious curiosity existed in her as well. "Perhaps a more elaborate plan is in order?" He looked at Clark conspiratorially.

* * *

"Lana! You weren't answering any of my calls." She said tightly as she eyed her friend.

Lana remained quiet, looking around their surroundings surreptitiously. "So," She began. "How much does Lana Lang's personal life boost newspaper sales these days?" Lana asked her in an accusing tone.

Chloe recoiled at the clear indictment. "I should have expected that." She commented dryly as she frowned. "But to be honest, I was kind of hoping that I'd be given the benefit of a doubt." She met Lana's gaze head on.

"That article recites our conversation verbatim." Lana was the first to avert her eyes. But the accusation still reverberated in her entire tone.

She sighed heavily as a number of responses went through her head, from exclamations of hurt to words of anger. "Do you honestly think that I would betray you like that?" She asked quietly.

Lana's head lowered further. "What other explanation is there?" She countered in the same tone.

"I don't have one yet. But the Lana Lang I know, my friend Lana, she would at least give me a chance to find one." She looked at her friend hopefully.

Lana finally lifted her head and met her gaze. "I'm sorry, for thinking the worst of you."

She shrugged in return. "I can't blame you. That article was pretty damning evidence. I just hope you know that I would never do anything to compromise your life." Chloe uttered with such sincerity.

Lana nodded. "I know better now. Sorry I didn't trust you." She looked at her ruefully.

"Bygones." She replied. "Now I think we should focus on finding out how this all happened."

"I want to know how intimate details of my life had been leaked into Linda Lake's column." Lana sighed mournfully as she finally took a seat across from Chloe.

"Well, for one thing, everybody here knows that Ms. Lake isn't the most ethical journalist around." Chloe declared as she leaned back on her chair. "I think our best bet is to investigate her." She looked at Lana thoughtfully.

* * *

Chloe opened the door and walked into the apartment.

She and Lana had spent the rest of the night digging up information on Linda Lake. They hadn't gotten much done but she was optimistic that she would find what they were looking for.

And so she spent the last three hours driving back to Smallville, even after it was clear that the next couple of days would be spent in Metropolis. But then Lois already took her overnight bag with her and she had no luck reaching Clark, so she had no choice but to make the journey.

She was tired, no doubt about that. But her heart sped up when she spotted a very familiar figure. "I swear, I'm losing my scare reflex because of you." She said sharply as she watched Clark digging through Lois' purse.

"Lois asked me to-"

Chloe held her hand up to keep him from lying any further. "Oh please Clark, like I would believe that Lois asked you to go through her purse. So tell me why you're snooping." She crossed her arms across her chest and looked at Clark expectantly.

"Lois thinks Oliver is the Green Arrow. She has concrete proof this time." Clark finally found what he was looking for.

"Crap!" Chloe ran an agitated hand through her hair. "What kind of proof does she have?" She walked over to where he was and took what he had in his hand.

"Jimmy gave her shots that would ID him." Clark shook his head at her impatient grabbing.

"Jimmy's moonlighting for Lois?" Chloe frowned. "Here I thought he'd be too busy with our Mike Dawson investigation." She murmured distractedly.

"Guess he was able to multitask." Clark grumbled as he took back the photos. "So…how long were you planning to wait until you tell me that Lana was pregnant?" He was scowling slightly.

Chloe was trying to get the photographs back so she could fully analyze the situation. She stopped upon hearing his statement. She smiled grimly. "What day is it today? Dump on Chloe day?" She asked tartly.

"I can't believe you didn't tell me." The accusation could be heard loud and clear.

"Funny, I can remember you keeping secrets as well, secrets that directly affected me. Did I give you attitude for not telling me about Oliver's green leather activities?" She looked at him critically.

"It wasn't my secret to tell." Clark countered defensively.

"Well then, same here. It wasn't my place to tell the world that Lana was carrying Lex' child." Chloe's eyes narrowed as she waited for Clark's reaction.

"I'm not the world, Chloe. I think out of anyone, I deserved to know-"

Chloe was tired and her exhaustion was catching up with her. She did not like Clark's tone and more importantly she did not like that fact that she was once again in the middle of the Clark and Lana show. "Clark, before you unload your anger on me, can I just say that I think it is incredibly unfair that everyone trusts me to keep their secrets, and then they turn around and they throw me attitude for keeping someone else's secret?" She could feel herself tearing up.

"Look, I'm sorry that I had to take a two-second breather from hiding the fact that you are an alien from another planet to protect someone else for a change. God!" She hastily wiped her tears away.

Before she knew what was happening, Clark had wrapped his arms around her.

"You had that one coming, you know?" She murmured tearfully.

Clark nodded against her shoulder. "I'm sorry for not telling you about Oliver. But he asked me not to." He looked at her with such intensity when they finally parted.

"I figured as much. I didn't mean to bring it up, but what with everything that's happened today, I guess it was too much." She rubbed her eyes, did not like the fact that she cried at all.

"For the record, I prefer 'intergalactic traveler' over alien from another planet, Chloe." Clark was looking at her ruefully.

Chloe laughed at his declaration. "I'll keep that in mind for future reference." She smiled at her friend.

"So, are we okay?" Clark asked as he brushed her hair away from her eyes.

Chloe nodded. "We're good."

"Good." Clark said as he once again enveloped her in a hug.

TBC


	18. Double Trouble

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

AN: You guys should know the drill by now. So sorry for the long delay. But here's the conclusion of "Hydro", next stop "Justice". Thanks to everyone who read and reviewed the last chapter. If anything, those words from you guys is what keeps this fic from being put in the back burner. So with that said, on with the story...

Chapter 17

_Double Trouble_

Oliver watched as the elevator doors opened and revealed one of his guests for the night.

"Ollie." Clark nodded as he stepped into the pent house.

"Is she on her way?" He asked curtly as he checked the table filled with food.

Clark nodded once more. "She's making her final preparations."

There was no question on who they were talking about. Somehow, he and Clark managed to come up with a scheme in order to throw Lois off his trail. Oliver was slightly uneasy at the fact that they hadn't bothered to consult Chloe. But when they talked earlier, his girlfriend informed him that she was still on the verge of thwarting the latest meteor freak of the week.

Apparently, Linda Lake was a rookie reporter for some little known TV station, and was present during the second meteor shower in Smallville. The news van that housed her while in Smallville took a nosedive in Crater Lake. Lake obviously walked off with some power.

"Think we can pull this off?" He asked conversationally as he moved the bowl of pretzel slightly to the left.

His friend smiled. "I think so."

Before they could get further into the conversation the elevator sounded once again. The two of them watched the doors expectantly. They shared one last look before Clark walked towards the elevator.

"Hey!" Lois burst out as she stepped into the room. There was a certain nervous energy in her aura.

"Lois." He smiled slightly in greeting.

Clark had a forced smile on his lips. He asked Lois if he could get her coat, which she promptly shed and handed to him.

"Thanks, Smallville." She uttered in an upbeat tone. "Chloe said she's going to be a little late." Lois walked further into the room and eyed the table filled with food. "You sure went all out on this one, Ollie." She said as she plucked a pretzel from the bowl.

Oliver smiled again. He was unsure whether to take her words as a praise or an insult. "I was merely trying to go for variety." He replied dismissively.

Lois shrugged. "So what should we do while we wait for Chloe?" She looked around the apartment and then at the two men.

"I supposed we can start a movie." He suggested lightly.

Clark, who had been quiet since he took Lois' coat, shook his head. "Chloe hates arriving in the middle of a movie."

Oliver grinned at the remark. "I know. She always insists that we arrive at the theater a couple of minutes early."

"She just loves watching the previews." Lois added to the conversation. "I guess the movie's out then."

"Shall we twiddle our thumbs as we wait for her?" He asked jokingly when a long silence ensued. The three of them were just looking at each other blankly.

"Do you have any of those, game thingies? I mean you're like a gazillionaire or something." Lois looked at him expectantly.

"A billionaire actually." He corrected her mildly. "And I do have a…game thingy. It's in the entertainment system."

Lois marched to the TV and inspected everything critically. Oliver and Clark exchanged looks. They had to move things along.

"Pardon my oversight, but would you guys like something to drink?" Ollie watched as Lois opened the drawer where he stored the Bluetooth operated consol.

"I'll have a coke." Clark answered automatically.

"I keep forgetting you're still underage." Lois rolled her eyes as she placed the gadget back in the drawer. "I'll have a beer."

Clark's eyes narrowed. "Are you sure that's wise?"

She scowled at him. "Well, you are driving me home aren't you? I mean what kind of a date would you be if you didn't even bother driving me home? Bad enough that we went here separately."

"You were at the Inquisitor." Clark countered defensively.

"Whatever, Smallville." Lois retorted.

Lois, with Clark's assistance arranged an entire scheme to try and find out if he was the Green Arrow. She and Clark were on a 'trial date'. The two of them were supposedly trying to cross the threshold from friends to maybe more. To make the transition easier, they sought the buffer of Chloe and Oliver. He wondered what Chloe would say to their convoluted plan. All she knew was that they were trying to establish a new tradition: movie night.

"I'm afraid I don't have your preferred drink." Oliver interjected before the conversation became a full blown argument. "I can go around the corner and buy some if you'd like."

That was their cue.

"I'll get it." Lois answered eagerly. "After all I'm the one who wants the drink."

"I can go with you." Clark offered.

Lois shook her head. "And do what?" She asked tartly.

"It's just a thought. After all you were attacking me for not picking you up." Clark groused under his breath.

She shook her head. "I'll go. You two figure out what game to play. I get to beat the winner when I get back." Lois practically ordered before she headed for the elevator.

Oliver and Clark watched as the elevator doors closed.

"Let's get this show on the road." He murmured as he headed for the wall panel that hid his Green Arrow paraphernalia.

* * *

"All right, Lana. Are you ready for your close up?" Chloe asked Lana brightly as she finished setting up the hidden camera on Linda Lake's computer.

"I can't believe this is so easy." Lana said with disbelief tingeing her tone.

Chloe frowned slightly. Nothing ever came easily. They shouldn't expect this to turn out any differently. "Okay, how are my mega pixels looking?" She asked with a slight smile. The earlier they finished with Lake, the better. Chloe was anxious to get to the watchtower. Oliver was up to something. She heard it in his voice earlier, when he informed her of movie night with Lois and Clark.

"Crystal clear." Lana's answer snapped her back to the job at hand. "Since we're eavesdropping, can you check what else she has on me and Lex?" She practically whispered.

"Yeah, sure. Do a little recon while we're at it." Chloe nodded as she typed a couple of letters that directed her to Lake's latest article. Her brows furrowed as she read the headline: Farm boy aliens, Billionaire vigilantes. Her lips formed a thin line as she read her own words on Lake's computer.

"Chloe, what is it?" Lana asked worriedly.

Chloe schooled her features to show none of her anxiety. She had to delete everything and make sure that Lana didn't hear anything incriminating. She had to protect her two heroes.

"Like tomorrow's headline?" A voice interrupted before she could mess with the live feed to Lana.

"I don't particularly care for tabloid journalism." She replied acidly.

"You know, I thought that your hatred was just professional jealousy. Who knew you were covering such scandalous secrets." Linda spoke as though she didn't hear Chloe's statement.

Chloe gestured to the computer before her as she rose from the chair. "You're going to stake your murky reputation on this garbage. I doubt this would be fit even for the Inquisitor." She looked at the other blonde critically.

"Somehow I doubt that. After all, Lois Lane comes out with worse drivel." Linda smirked at her superiorly.

"My cousin can at least write and she at least does her research. You, you just listen in on other people's conversation." Chloe took a step back as Lake advanced towards her.

Linda reached her desk and sat on her chair daintily. "I see you can do your research as well. You'd make an incredible source when everyone reads tomorrow's headline." She fiddled with her keyboard. "I must say, it was a little hard finding out who Oliver was and what exactly his fetishes were. Then I learned that you were dating Oliver Queen, what exactly he sees in you, I have no idea. Anyway, two in two and I had four. Your cousin would probably love to hear what I learned."

Chloe's eyes narrowed as she watched the other woman. Linda was now playing with her mouse. Chloe saw a hammer on a table left behind by the construction crew.

"And that still didn't compare to what I found out about your farm boy best friend." Lake continued arrogantly. "I must say, I'm impressed. Here you are, sitting on a story that could win you the Pulitzer, yet you chose to keep it to yourself."

"Not a hard decision. Especially since it's someone I care about." Chloe retorted as she advanced towards the hammer.

"That's what's keeping you in the basement. Don't you just love the internet? One click and the entire world would know that your blond billionaire-"

Chloe slammed the hammer on the laptop, effectively putting it out of commission. She murmured a quiet apology to Lana, but she was not about to let her find out that her best friend was an alien and her boyfriend was Metropolis' newest hero.

"You shouldn't have done that." Linda screamed shrilly.

"Too bad I already did." Chloe looked nonplussed.

"I could still publish that story." Lake uttered with such bravado.

"I have a feeling that your credibility would be shot once you're arrested for Mike Dawson's murder." Chloe replied as she eyed the door.

"Mike Dawson drowned. Do your homework. It's in every police report." Lake was becoming agitated.

"Too bad the cops are about to get an anonymous tip; documenting death by drowning of most of the subjects of your article, Mike Dawson is not your first victim after all." Chloe inched towards the door bit by bit.

Lake lunged towards the very same table where Chloe got the hammer and grabbed the nail gun.

Chloe ran towards the door and she could hear Lake utilizing the tool on her hand. "Having my alien best friend would be great right about now." Chloe thought to herself. She made a run for it towards the elevators and pressed the button incessantly. "Stairs, should have taken the stairs." She mumbled in panic.

"Hey Sullivan!" Linda Lake screamed from a few feet behind her. The woman raised the nail gun and aimed it right in the direction of her face.

Behind her she heard the elevator doors open. She stumbled back and pushed the button to the first floor and then the one that would promptly close the door. She prayed with every fiber of her being that the nails wouldn't reach her until the doors closed, or preferably that they wouldn't reach her at all.

* * *

The phone call that would put everything in motion was made before long. Somewhere along the course of his relationship with Chloe, Lois managed to get his cell number.

"Hey Ollie, since you and I are the only ones who could drink, you have any beer preference?" Lois inquired without so much as a hello.

Before he could answer Lois' breathing became irregular. He had to give her credit; she sure was making it believable.

"Oh my god! Someone's following me." She whispered to the phone. "I knew I shouldn't have cut through the alleyway." Her voice was shaking. "Ollie, I don't know how many they are, maybe two or ten. I need help." The panic seemed to be rising in her voice.

"Lois! Lois, are you okay? Where are you?" Oliver asked impatiently.

"Oh god. Help!"

Oliver could hear banging. He pulled the phone from his ear and eyed it in confusion. Was she banging her phone on something? She sure was selling the damsel in distress routine. And then she was gone. She must have broken her phone. He turned to Clark who nodded before disappearing.

He jogged towards the alleyway that he saw Lois head for.

"They kind of made an impromptu appearance!" He heard Lois shout at the one and only Jimmy Olsen.

"Figures." He muttered. The situation was spinning out of control. Perhaps, he should have donned the green leather. Chloe would never forgive him if something happened to Lois in her quest to prove that he was the Green Arrow. There was still no Clark in sight. His pace hastened in order to get to the two. One of the thugs had punched Jimmy on the stomach and the landed another one on his jaw. And though he felt the impulse to punch Jimmy Olsen a number of times a day, he still felt sorry for the younger man. Lois was being held by two other guys and for the second time he wondered why Clark was talking his sweet time coming to the rescue.

He smiled slightly when out of nowhere the guy beating Jimmy to a pulp was thrown off to the side and landed hard against the wall. One of the men holding Lois also suffered the same fate. The other guy managed to make a run for it.

Clark was just about to follow after the petty criminal when Lois' hand pulled on his arm. Oliver watched in fascination as Lois uttered his name and reached up to pull off the shades. For a second he thought that they were going to be busted. Lois would finally find out the Green Arrow's identity and though he would remain unmasked, Clark would not exactly remain unscathed.

Oliver was stupefied when he saw what Clark did in order to protect his secret and his own identity. He just grabbed Lois by the waist and kissed her. Off to the side, Jimmy was taking pictures of the couple.

He walked towards them. "Is that payment for services rendered?" He inquired with such interest.

The kissing couple disengaged and Lois looked at him blankly. He saw Clark make a quick exit at his diversion.

"Oliver?" Lois was looking at him with confusion.

"Did you just call him Oliver, just before you planted one on him?" He folded his arms across his chest and waited for her answer.

Lois stared at him and the switched her gaze in the direction that Clark disappeared to.

"I…I thought…You're…" Lois stammered uncomfortably.

Oliver just simply looked at her before turning to Jimmy. "I think we should get her back to my place, don't you?"

* * *

Lake pulled the trigger but nothing happened. Chloe sighed in relief when the other woman kept pulling on the nail gun but nothing came out. Her relief overflowed when the elevator doors finally shut close.

Chloe bolted through the doors of the Daily Planet and looked wildly around her surroundings. No sign of the mad gossipmonger. She ran across the street, the more distance she had from the Planet, the better. The one thought that she never thought she would think. She was still keeping an eye out for Lake once she reached the other side. Her gaze landed on her feet flittingly and there was a pool of water forming under her. It wasn't raining and there was no way that someone spilled that much water.

She turned around and she saw Linda materialize from liquid form into her own blonde self. It would have been cool, if she hadn't been using her powers for her own selfish end and killing people in the process.

"If you want to rise above sea level, you better sharpen those teeth!" Linda screamed at her as she slapped her hard across the cheek.

"Where did you get that from? Quote a day for villains?" Chloe retorted as she blocked another slap from Linda. "If you're quoting then I have one for you, with great power comes great responsibility." She yelled the last part when Lake grabbed her by the hair and yanked viciously.

It seemed like the time for conversation was over. Lake transformed into water form again and upended a wooden post. She reformed into her human form and directed the pointy end of the wood in Chloe's direction. She rushed towards Chloe with every intention of stabbing her with the post.

Chloe stumbled backwards and fell onto her back. Linda was still heading for her direction. Somehow Chloe managed to raise her legs and with a maneuver that she would probably never be able to do again, Linda ended up falling headfirst into the street. At that exact moment Lana's SUV hit her. Instead of hitting her body, the woman burst into a shower of water.

Lana was looking at her, eyes wide with fear and panic. "She came out of nowhere!" Her friend uttered shakily.

She looked at her friend before focusing on the water draining away from the car. Soon it disappeared into a nearby sewer system.

* * *

The ride to Oliver's place was quiet.

Chloe watched Lana from the corner of her eye. She was waiting for the inevitable interrogation. Not that she was in the mood for one. But she was resigned to being grilled for the farm boy best friend comment that Lake made.

The car pulled to a stop in front of Oliver's building. Lana's gaze remained fixed on the road. Chloe took that as her cue to just get out of the car. She opened the car door. "Thanks, for the ride and for the save." She murmured quietly.

Lana remained unmoved. Chloe was halfway out of the car when she finally spoke.

"You know Clark's secret, 'some secret about a farm boy' made you take a hammer to her computer before I could hear the rest. Come on, Chloe. I'm not that naive." The words seemed like an indictment.

"Lana-"

"You know and you're consciously making sure that I never learn it." Each word was a stab at their friendship. "And you're also keeping something about Oliver-"

"Lana," Chloe interjected in a cold tone. "Oliver is none of your business."

"But Clark-"

"No, he isn't. Not anymore. And if I remember correctly, you were the one who decided to end things with him. My life is complicated enough as it is, juggling my friendship between you and Clark. Don't make it anymore complicated." She uttered coolly.

"Did you ever think that it wouldn't be so complicated if I just-"

"Don't you even finish that thought, don't blame me for any of your issues with Clark." She fought the urge to glare at her friend. "I'm done being your go between. If you have something to say to Clark, just do it yourself. If you want to keep this friendship, then don't put me in the middle between the Lana and Clark show." She got out of the car completely.

"Chloe-" Lana was looking at her pleadingly.

"Maybe you should rethink your entire life, Lana. You're pregnant with one man's child yet you're longing for another. At this point I don't even know why I still bother." She shook her head in exasperation as she slammed the door closed. She headed for the entrance to the building, not once looking back.

The elevator ride to the pent house felt like a lifetime. The words she said to Lana, Chloe's shoulders slumped in defeat. She probably ruined that friendship, all because of yet another meteor freak.

She squared her shoulders and stiffened her resolve. Lana had that one coming. She was certainly on a roll, telling Clark off and now Lana. At least with Clark she was sure that they were okay. She just hoped that everything would still be okay once he heard what happened between her and his ex.

Chloe shook her head slightly. She was on her way to movie night. The guys would expect her to be her vivacious self. No sense alerting them to the fact that she just had a falling out with one of her best friends. Besides, she was going to see her boyfriend, after a twenty-four hour separation. The thought made her smile.

She was still smiling when the elevator doors opened and she was dropped into a bizarre world, where Jimmy was munching on popcorn as he watched Clark and Lois playing the play station that she knew Oliver owned but never used. Her boyfriend was standing behind Clark, barking orders on what he should do in order to beat Lois.

She settled a fist on her hip and watched the scene before her. "I thought we were having a movie night." She commented tartly.

Oliver grinned at the sound of her voice. "We were waiting for you." He approached her and took her bags from her.

Clark and Lois were still on full battle mode. Jimmy beamed at her appearance. "Hey bright-Chloe!" Jimmy reddened at his slip. That was when she noticed that Jimmy was sporting a black eye. She hoped that Oliver had nothing to do with the injury.

His lips formed a thin line when he heard Olsen make some cutesy remark to his girlfriend. Oliver brushed her hair away from her face when he noticed that a bruise was forming on her cheek. "What happened to you?" He asked worriedly as he touched the bruised flesh. Chloe winced at the contact. "Who did this?' He demanded.

Chloe sighed heavily. She forgot to anticipate this interrogation.

Clark's attention was finally on her, rather than on the TV. "Who did what to Chloe?" He too demanded as he grabbed a bag of frozen peas that was lying on the table, advanced towards them and placed it on her cheek tentatively.

"I'll take that." Oliver took the bag from Clark and administered the treatment.

Chloe rolled her eyes. "Just a workplace scuffle." She answered dismissively. "By the way, Jimmy, you were right about Linda Lake."

"Told you so." Jimmy replied as he popped a pretzel into his mouth.

"She did this to you?" Oliver asked in a hard voice.

Chloe focused on her angry boyfriend. "Down boy." She said teasingly. "I'm no damsel in distress." She commented dryly.

Lois used the opportunity to annihilate Clark's character while he was busy with her cousin. She dropped the consol on the coffee table and focused on the group. "Did you kick ass, cuz?" She grinned broadly as she posed the question.

"You better believe it." Chloe replied proudly. "So is anyone going to clue me in on what brought this little gathering?" Her interrogation was over but she had every right to return the favor. After all it wasn't everyday that Oliver would let Jimmy into his sanctuary, even Lois and Clark's visits were heavily regulated.

Lois and Clark looked uncomfortable and Oliver was simply amused as he kept applying the bag of peas on her cheek.

"Well you see bright eye-Chloe. Lois-"

"I'll tell it." Lois glared at the photographer. "You see Chlo,' I thought that…Olliewasthegreenarrow." She uttered in one breath.

Chloe's brows furrowed. "Huh?" She looked at Clark and then at Ollie.

Oliver cleared his throat. "She thought that I had a green leather fetish."

Her brows rose at the words. "Why would you think that?" She focused on Lois. Maybe her cousin had a real future in journalism after all. Lois had a tendency to start a career only to abandon it later.

"I just, well… I just did okay." Lois replied impatiently.

Chloe knew then that there was something more to the story. She looked at the three men for an answer.

"She saw a wound that Green Arrow had." Jimmy volunteered to speak first.

"And she said that Oliver had one as well." Clark added.

Chloe sighed. "You mean his fencing accident?"

"I…I just thought." Lois frowned.

"And you didn't bother asking me what I think?" She took the bag from Oliver to keep him from tending to her. She shot a glare in his direction. She was not pleased that she was not kept in the loop, not by Lois or Clark or Oliver.

"I wanted to be sure." Lois looked at her stubbornly.

"Who do you think would be most qualified to investigate?" Her features softened at her cousin's expression. She had a feeling that Lois was looking out for her. "I mean I would know if Ollie here was keeping a secret room filled with green gadgets. I practically live here."

"Y-you do?" Jimmy seemed crestfallen at her pronouncement.

Oliver nodded at her point. Clark seemed to be fighting a smile.

"So what happened?" Chloe looked at the group, dying to know what happened next.

Jimmy cleared his throat when no one seemed to want to speak up. "Well, Lois and Clark devised a plan to check if…Ol…Mr. Queen really was the Green Arrow." He started fiddling with his camera.

"They did, huh?" Chloe smiled slightly.

"But then some real thugs were there, that's how I got, well, banged up." Jimmy continued sheepishly.

Chloe walked towards her friend. "Did you go to a doctor?" She inspected his black eye worriedly.

"I'm okay. The guys gave me some meds and that bag of peas, good as new, see?" Jimmy puffed his chest out and grinned at her.

Oliver rolled his eyes as Chloe placed the bag of peas on Jimmy's eye and guided his hand to the bag so it would remain where it was before she rejoined him, her boyfriend.

"Then we saw Ollie and the green Arrow at the same time so I was sure that he wasn't the Green Arrow." Lois said in a rush, clearly eager to conclude the conversation. "So, movie anyone?"

Chloe looked at Lois, slightly confused. Her cousin must be embarrassed by something that happened. She was certain that she would get the scoop in private. "Something-"

Jimmy thrust the camera in her hands. "I got great shots of Arrow but none with his face." Jimmy explained in a self-recriminating tone.

Chloe's eyed widened considerably when she saw the photos. Lois, locking lips with the Green Arrow, in full color. Her gaze landed on Oliver fleetingly. He was watching her closely. Her gaze shifted to Clark who was apparently so thirsty that he just left them in the middle of the story without so much as a word.

"So how did this happen exactly?" She asked Lois as cautiously as she could.

Lois sighed heavily. "I really thought it was Oliver. I was going to remove his shades when the guy just grabbed me and kissed me." She looked annoyed at the same time there was a dreamy quality in her tone.

"He kissed you." Chloe parroted Lois.

Lois nodded vigorously.

"And then he was gone, in a blink of an eye." Jimmy added uselessly.

"In a blink of an eye huh?" Chloe said loudly certain that Clark was still listening in on the conversation.

Clark was blushing when he returned. Chloe grinned slyly. Clark would be sufficiently teased at a later date.

Lois seemed resigned to the fact that the guys would keep bringing up here case of mistaken identity. "I'm not trying to bash Ollie here or anything, not like I could compare anyway. But that Green Arrow, he sure can kiss." She seemed to be in a dreamlike trance.

Clark's blush deepened.

"So where were you in all the excitement, Clark?" Chloe inquired chirpily.

Clark stared at his shoes uncomfortably. "Oliver asked me to stay here, in case you arrived." He murmured quietly.

"Did he now? So I guess you missed this." She held up Jimmy's camera that showed the kiss between him and Lois.

Oliver felt like her should intervene. The Clark roasting was incredibly amusing but his friend did help him out. He planted a hand on the small of Chloe's back. "Why don't you go change so we could get the movie started?" He suggested quietly.

Lois and Jimmy, who was apparently going to stay for the night, nodded in agreement. Clark shot a glare in her direction before nodding as well.

"I'm thinking more along the lines of a shower." Chloe murmured airily. She was still grinning at Clark evilly so Oliver pushed her gently towards the bedroom.

"I missed a lot." Chloe commented as she flopped onto the bed and closed her eyes.

Oliver sat next to her and smiled at her fondly.

"Lois and Clark, I have to say it does have a certain ring to it." She murmured tiredly.

"Are you sure you're okay? I could call the doctor." Oliver caressed her bruised cheek.

Chloe took his hand in hers. "I'm okay, nothing that a good night sleep won't cure." She opened her eyes and grinned at him.

"Well then, since you're okay, I thought you're going to take a shower." Oliver said as he rested next to her.

"With the day I had, I deserve a few minutes." She arched her back to stretch her aching muscles. "One of these days I'm going to take you up on your yoga lessons."

Oliver turned on his side so he could watch her fully. "I'd be more than willing to teach you." He commented lightly as he inched closer towards her.

"Sure you are." Chloe retorted dryly. She opened her eyes and saw that Oliver was practically looming over her. "Hey." She greeted him teasingly.

"Hey back." Oliver smiled at her. It was sappy, the fact that he did not like being away from her but he really felt no need to rectify the situation. "I've decided that you're not allowed to be away from here," He gestured to the room. "for more than a few hours at a time."

"You decided." She stated with an amused grin. "You know, it's easier to admit that you missed me."

"But where's the fun in that?" He inquired charmingly.

Chloe sat up and planted a chaste kiss on his lips. Before Oliver could move to deepen the kiss, she already pulled back. "Don't think for a moment that you're forgiven for not keeping me informed with the Lois situation." She looked at him critically.

"I'm not?" He flopped on his back and looked up the ceiling.

"Nope." She shook her head in affirmation. "If you had kept me in the loop, well you and Clark would have been spared for coming up with that scheme of yours."

Oliver frowned at her words.

"And Jimmy wouldn't be sporting a black eye." Chloe added in a reproachful tone.

Oliver sat up and rested his weight on his elbows upon hearing her. "So that's you're main concern, _bright eyes_?" He uttered the words with such derision. Maybe he should kick Jimmy out of his home.

Chloe smiled slightly at the jealousy that tainted his entire voice. She crawled towards him and straddled his lap. She settled her hands on his chest. "I must say, this jealous streak of yours, making you all levels of adorable." She murmured teasingly.

Oliver pulled back slightly. "I am not jealous." He informed her with such air. "And I prefer not to be called and/or thought of as adorable."

She looked at him through her lowered lashes. "Well tough, I'm invoking my rights as the girlfriend to call and/or think of you as adorable, whenever I please." She said haughtily. A part of her was thrilled at his jealousy, it would probably get old but for now, she was amused by his obvious insecurity. That would not stop her from reassuring him though. "But you do know that Jimmy is totally a non-issue, right?" She settled her hands on the back of his neck, idly tracing circles on his nape.

Oliver took a deep breath and his hands, which settled on her waist the moment she sat on his lap, tightened considerably. He nodded.

"Good." She was glad that Oliver seemed to believe her. "Now I haven't had a welcome home kiss yet." She uttered petulantly. She had been home for half an hour and yet she had not felt Oliver's lips on hers; it should be resolved, like now.

He smiled upon hearing her refer to his home as hers. Soon enough he would be getting an answer on his proposal that she moved in with him. "Whose fault is it?" He uttered lowly as their lips were merely a hairsbreadth from coming in full contact.

Just before their lips could meet, a loud exclamation from the living room interrupted them.

"You cheated!" Lois was yelling.

"Did not!" It was Clark's impassioned reply.

Jimmy was obviously trying to handle the situation but Chloe knew that he was about to be railroaded by the Lois and Clark show. "So maybe those two aren't ready for the whole Lois and Clark." She looked at him sheepishly.

Oliver laughed. "Maybe?" He shook his head in exasperation. Trust Lois and Clark to keep him from enjoying the pleasures of having a girlfriend. "I suppose I should go out there and force the children to make nice." He muttered with the enthusiasm of a rock.

A giggle burst from Chloe. "Only Lois could have such an effect on Clark."

"At least we know that those two have the physical aspect down." Oliver commented as he watched Chloe get up from the bed and head for the closet.

"It was just one kiss, Ollie. I wouldn't be planning their wedding just yet." She rolled her eyes as she remembered Lois' dreamlike trance and Clark's scarlet face. "Let's just hope that Lois won't chase you all over town for a repeat performance." She frowned slightly at the thought.

"I didn't think of that." Oliver frowned as well now that she mentioned the possibility.

Chloe picked up Ollie's shirt and closed the door to the closet. "Although, I have to say, she was right about the 'sure can kiss part.'" She said distractedly as she walked back to the bed, where Oliver set her overnight bag.

Oliver was distracted by her choice of clothing. She planned to wear his shirt, while they had guests. If that was not a declaration of their status, he had no idea what else she could do that would scream 'I'm Ollie's girl!' Then her words finally registered on his radar. "What do you mean she was right?" His brows furrowed as he wondered about Chloe and Clark, together.

"We had an end of the world kiss, probably why it felt amazing." She answered dismissively as she rummaged through her bag.

He scowled at her crouched form. He watched as she finally found what she was looking for and started for the bathroom. He had every intention of following after her to continue their conversation. However, another round of yelling from the outside stopped him in his tracks.

Chloe looked back at him and said, "You better mediate out there." She said wryly.

Oliver glared at her before turning on his heel and headed for the door.

She smiled at his crabbiness. Who knew Oliver Queen was the jealous type? "Hey Oliver?" She called out; she had to wait for him to turn back around.

He faced her grudgingly. Her comment had him seething. Amazing, from a farm boy?

"Clark's kiss, it was amazing." She murmured admittedly. "But your kisses, his couldn't even compare. Yours are mind-numbing, toe-curling, earth-shattering kisses. I mean, really, I could go on forever." She looked at him shyly.

Oliver decided to ignore the pandemonium that was going on outside the bedroom. He had an impulse to act on. He raced towards her and proceeded to give her one of his mind-numbing, toe-curling earth-shattering kisses.

TBC

AN2: About the Lana situation, well she's going to make up with her eventually, just thought I should have Chloe stick up for herself and not just take whatever that Lana dishes out. Thanks for reading!


	19. Interlude II

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

AN: It's been a long while since I've updated. I actually didn't mean to take too long, but alas! I suffered from a horrible writer's block. I literally couldn't write a word! But I finally got over that, and here's the result. If you guys are still reading, this isn't the promised "Justice," but this one has the three elusive words finally said (who happens to hear it is an entirely different story). I'm working on the next chapter, which I'll post maybe on thursday. And of course I would like to thank everyone who read and reviewed the last chapter, glad you guys liked the changes I made. Special shoutout to **tarafina**, whose lovely chollie forced me to deal with my own story! If you guys haven't read her stuff, well just read her fic, whole lot of awesome!

Okay, enough rambling! On with the story...

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* * *

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_Interlude II_

His gaze did not stray far from the door. He took a drink of his water and he still managed to keep an eye on the entrance. He was early, but he planned it that way.

Chloe had been acting despondent the last couple of weeks. When he asked her why, she told him about her fight with Lana. The two had yet to fix their relationship and Chloe was obviously suffering because of it. His girlfriend was acting so unlike herself that it made him worry about her endlessly.

But then something happened. Something that made her smile. Something that clearly cheered her up. And he was going to do everything in his power to keep her that way, even if he had to undergo an interrogation.

He shouldn't be nervous, he told himself for the nth time already. And yet he couldn't help it. He was terrified. He really shouldn't be so worried, but he was.

He was every parent's dream. Ever since he turned eighteen, parents were shoving their daughters in his way. But he had a feeling that Gabe Sullivan was going to be different. Just like his daughter, who managed to capture his heart.

It was her laughter that alerted him to their presence. He rose from his chair and waited for the host to guide them to his table.

Gabe Sullivan looked like a normal middle aged man. His demeanor suggested that he had been through hardships but managed to overcome them, the crinkle on his eyes suggested that he loved laughing. All in all not a terrifying sight.

"Oliver!" Chloe greeted him happily when they reached the table. She walked up to him and was about to give him a kiss.

He knew that she was aiming for his lips. One look in Gabe Sullivan's direction and he turned his head so she ended up kissing his cheek.

Chloe pulled back and gave him a confused look. "Oliver, I'd like you to meet my dad, Gabe Sullivan. Dad, this is Oliver Queen, my boyfriend." She said the words with pride. He could tell that she was proud of him and of her father.

"It's nice to finally meet you, sir. Chloe's told me so much about you." Oliver offered his hand to the older man eagerly.

Gabe shook his hand while he looked at his daughter with a hint of amusement. "Knowing my daughter, you're not exaggerating." Gabe replied with a smile.

"Dad!" Chloe gave her father a mock glare.

"Shall we?" Oliver gestured towards the table. He nodded his head in the host's direction in dismissal. He saw Gabe give Chloe a meaningful look at his action. He helped Chloe into her seat before sitting down. He could do this, he told himself encouragingly. He knew how to converse, so there shouldn't be an awkward silence.

An awkward silence settled over them as a waiter approached and set the drinks he ordered for the father-daughter, coffee for Chloe (of course) and hot tea for Gabe. The quiet stretched on until after the waiter was gone.

Gabe was smiling slightly. Chloe nudged his knee with hers, trying to prompt him into saying something.

"Mr. Sullivan, how is your stay in Metropolis so far?" He inquired in an overly loud voice.

Gabe and Chloe exchanged amused grins. "It's been good so far." He answered in just the right tone. "It's been a few years since I was here, but not much has changed."

"Well, you've been cooped up in Smallville, so you really haven't had the chance to explore the city yet." Chloe replied teasingly.

"In my defense, Smallville still felt like home." Gabe answered sheepishly.

It was reminder. The reason that he had been Chloe-less for the last few days. Not that he felt any ill-will against Gabe Sullivan. The last time that Chloe saw her dad was over Christmas.

He nodded genially. "I myself have been a resident of Metropolis for months now, but I haven't had the time to truly experience the city." Oliver said in earnest.

"In your defense, you are running a billion dollar empire." Chloe grinned at him.

Gabe looked at him and then at Chloe, a warm smile on his face. "I suppose that takes precedence over everything else."

"You know what we should do; we should take one day and just roam around the city." She suggested with such eagerness.

Oliver smirked at her words. "Would you be able to tear yourself away from the Planet that long?" He asked teasingly.

Chloe rolled her eyes at him. "Of course I can." She replied in indignation.

Gabe cleared his throat. "I have to agree on this one with Oliver." He murmured with a grin. "I had to literally tear her away from her desk in order to get here on time." Gabe informed him, the laughter in his eyes was evident.

"She sometimes even forgets that she can go home after five." Oliver contributed.

Chloe huffed in annoyance. "If I had known that you two were going to gang up on me, well I never would have introduced you." She looked at the two men through narrowed eyes.

Gabe and Oliver exchanged amused looks.

"Now pumpkin, stop pouting." Gabe smiled at her indulgently. "I think your idea is exactly what I need." He patted her arm comfortingly.

"I believe I can rearrange my schedule to accommodate your plan." Oliver added.

"I feel less inclined to take you up on your offer." She sniffed disdainfully.

Oliver shook his head smilingly. "Shall make the offer more lucrative for you?" He grinned at his girlfriend. "I will promise not to take any electronic device that would interrupt our day. I would also do away with the town car and subject myself to a day of," Oliver paused to make sure he had her attention. "Public transportation."

Gabe chuckled and Chloe looked at him with renewed interest.

"So?" He offered her his hand to seal the deal.

"And will you go so far and leave your wallet home?" Chloe asked him archly.

Oliver looked at her through hooded eyes. He really hated it when Chloe tried to pay for anything. He had money to spare yet she acted like he was a normal guy with a normal bank account.

"I'd take her conditions if I were you." Gabe said good-naturedly. "She inherited the famous Sullivan stubbornness, which skips a generation, which would explain my inability to say no to her." He added conspiratorially.

He sighed in defeat. He and the Sullivan stubbornness were well-acquainted. Besides, the entire point of her father's visit was to cheer her up. And he knew he would be able to find a loophole in her conditions. He could bring a billfold instead of a wallet; he could hire a cab in lieu of a limo. Yep, there were myriad of ways to make sure he could accommodate her wishes without compromising his entire person.

Chloe nodded regally. "I'm glad you could see the superiority of my ways."

"Now dear, stop teasing the boy and just shake his hand." Gabe admonished gently.

Oliver completely forgot that he still had his hand out. Chloe shook it firmly before giving him her trademark smile.

The waiter returned with the restaurant manager. The server was holding a bottle of wine.

"With our compliments, Mr. Queen." The manager nodded grandly.

Chloe was watching the scene with an amused smile. Oliver fought the urge to roll his eyes. She was accustomed to this treatment.

Every time that the two of them went out to eat at restaurants, well this was standard operating procedure. It meant that someone from the restaurant called the paparazzi and he would end up at the front page of tomorrow's tabloid. He always made sure that he was photographed alone. The scene playing out meant that they had to resort to Plan B.

"The gesture is appreciated." Oliver replied coolly. "We'll be ready to order in a moment." He nodded in dismissal.

The manager and the waiter both took a step back to give them the moment that they needed.

Chloe frowned before she shrugged and smiled. "I guess it's the rear door again."

Oliver frowned as well. He didn't like the fact that Chloe had to slip out of restaurants like a mistress just because the public was interested in his life. But he and Chloe agreed that they would stay out of the public eye as much as possible. Chloe wanted to remain anonymous, more for her internship at the Daily Planet than anything else. Oliver wanted her anonymity more for her safety than anything else. He was afraid that Gabe would misconstrue Chloe's comment and think that he was ashamed of his girlfriend.

Gabe shrugged. "It's for your own safety." He told Chloe before he turned to Oliver. "I'm glad you're taking these precautions, especially for her." Gabe looked slightly exasperated as his gaze turned back to his daughter.

Chloe rolled her eyes.

Oliver let out the breath he wasn't aware he was holding. "I tried to hire a security detail for her but she wouldn't even hear of it." He shook his head disapprovingly.

"Probably thinks it would get in the way of her investigating." Gabe replied knowingly.

"Please stop talking as if I'm not right here." Chloe looked at her dad and then at him.

"At least she's been spending less time at the hospital." Gabe continued as though he didn't hear his daughter.

"I did hire a private physician on retainer, just in case." Oliver followed Gabe's lead and tried to fight off a smile at Chloe's exasperated expression.

Gabe nodded in approval. "Now that she's working at the Planet you'll be making good use of that doctor. Her medical bills in high school were astronomical!" Gabe's eyes rolled heavenward as though in remembrance. "And she was just writing for the school paper." He added with a small smile.

Of course Gabe had no idea that Chloe was under the protection of one powerful best friend and a boyfriend who donned a green leather costume every night.

"First of all that was Smallville, Daddy." Chloe uttered in her sweetest voice, which warned Oliver that they were in trouble. "Meteor freak capital of the world." She added matter-of-factly. "And secondly, I've been writing obits and puff pieces, that and manning the tip line at the Planet, exciting stuff!" She said with such sarcasm. "So maybe that's why the hospital bills aren't piling up like the old days."

Olive placed a comforting hand on her arm. "You speak as though that's going to last long." He murmured with pride. "I'm sure that one of these days you're going to hunt down a story that's going to end up on the front page." Oliver added.

"A story that would likely land you in the hospital, pumpkin." Gabe muttered resignedly.

Chloe smiled somewhat smugly. And who could blame her, thought Oliver, she had two grown men eating from the palm of her hand. And he had no intention of ever changing that fact.

* * *

The food was amazing, the company memorable. All in all everything was going perfectly.

When she first found out that Gabe was coming home for a visit, she was ecstatic. She was previously in a slump because of her fight with Lana. But the past few days had been incredible. She never realized how much she missed having her dad around and felt a pang of sadness at the thought that he was going to leave again in a couple of days.

She chastised herself for her train of thought. The point of this week was to enjoy her father's presence, not mourn his departure. Besides, it was better this way. At least her dad was reassured by the fact that she had less hospital stays these days, however deceiving it might be.

Her gaze landed on Oliver and she smiled fondly at his earnest behavior. He was talking to Gabe about the Metropolis Sharks, her father's favorite team. He was going out of his way to get her dad to like him. When she told him about her father's intention to visit he was happy for her. A couple of days passed when she noticed him just staring into nothingness, she knew it was not business related since he never got that way before. So the only explanation she could think of was her dad's imminent arrival.

He was nervous. And she couldn't help but feel amused and mushy. Oliver was the type of man who exuded confidence with each step that he took, the thought that a meeting with her father was enough to knock his confidence a couple of pegs, well it meant that he knew that his introduction to her father was very important.

Oliver saw her staring at him; he smiled at her before returning to his conversation with her father.

She looked at her father and saw that he was deep in the conversation; he got really passionate when talking about the Sharks. She moved his glass of water a bit so he wouldn't end up knocking it down. The next thing she knew Oliver was offering to introduce her dad to the entire team, apparently her boyfriend was looking to purchase the team, and apparently he was torn between buying the Sharks and buying the Star City Rockets, his hometown's baseball team.

Just before she could interject her phone rang. Oliver glanced at her; they both knew who was calling.

"Sorry, it's Clark. I have to take this." She murmured apologetically.

Clark had been going around the world, tracking Zoners, and of course he needed her help. The satellite images that Oliver had given them were just a small part of a very big equation. And Clark was running himself rugged trying to right what he thought was his mistake. She, of course, played her part as a sidekick and worrywart. She made sure that he stopped once in a while.

Her dad was looking at her in slight confusion and Oliver merely nodded.

She shot the two important men in her life one last smile before she got up and walked towards the ladies' room. "So are you coming home or are you already home?' She asked Clark as she maneuvered around the tables.

* * *

The two men watched as she disappeared from view.

Oliver was accustomed to her tendency to put Clark first in some instances. He still had no idea what was going on with the two best friends and he hadn't pried, it was part of their 'don't ask don't tell' clause. She had her secrets and he had his, she had no idea what he was doing while in his green leather costume.

He focused back on Gabe and saw that the older man was frowning slightly. "You don't seem to mind what just happened." Gabe commented lightly.

"I understand that Chloe and Clark have been friends for a long time, this has been known to happen." Oliver replied politely. Maybe Chloe shouldn't have left them alone. The previous conversation had lulled him into becoming comfortable, too comfortable. Now it was likely that Gabe would drop the polite façade and just start the interrogation.

Gabe nodded. "Those two have been through a lot. I take it you know Clark." He lifted an inquiring brow, not completely unlike Chloe's gesture.

"He is a friend actually." He answered. Oliver couldn't help but feel like he was being weighed, measured and that Gabe had yet to decided if he was found wanting.

Oliver picked up his glass of water and took a drink, his throat felt dry all of a sudden.

"So I heard that you asked my daughter to move in with you." Gabe stated with such nonchalance.

It took everything in Oliver's power not to choke on his drink. His instinct was spot on as usual. The interrogation had begun. He calmly returned his glass on the table. "I have asked her." He answered quietly.

Gabe leaned back on his chair, his posture exuded relaxed grace, and again Oliver was reminded of Chloe. "When Chloe was ten she already knew she wanted to be an investigative journalist. She used to carry the pad that reporters used and a pen wherever she went. She would interview people wherever she went." Gabe said matter-of-factly. "She did those things while girls her age dreamed of becoming some boys' wife." His gaze became stern.

Oliver shifted in his chair imperceptibly. He shouldn't be intimidated, but he was. He knew that her father's approval meant a lot to Chloe, in fact it meant a lot to him as well. But finding out that he asked his daughter to move in with him was not the way to gain the man's approval.

"Chloe was always meant for bigger things. And she will fulfill her dream. She will become a top investigative reporter." Gabe leaned forward and his pose became a little menacing, as though telling him that nothing, not him, would get in the way of Chloe's future.

He took a deep breath. "I'm certain that she will." He agreed with such intensity. He was secure in the knowledge that Chloe would become all that she wanted to be. He was not going to become a hindrance to her goals. "I'll do everything in my power to support her in all her endeavors. I love her; I'll do anything to make her happy."

Oliver bowed his head; he hadn't meant to say too much. When he finally looked up he realized that he didn't regret the words he uttered. "I love your daughter, sir." He met Gabe's gaze fully.

Gabe returned to his position of casual elegance, his eyes became warm and open once again. "I'm glad to hear that."

"Glad to hear what?" Chloe asked brightly as she sat back down.

Oliver just stared at her. He was a little slow on the uptake, he wasn't sure if Gabe just gave him his approval.

"Nothing important." Gabe answered for them with a smile. "So what's Clark up to?"

Chloe looked at her dad and then at him before shaking her head and smiling at the two. "Clark just wanted to know if we could come over to their place tomorrow, Mrs. Kent's making your favorite dish."

Gabe looked at her skeptically and his gaze turned to him.

Oliver could tell that her father could tell that she was lying.

"You know the answer to that. Isn't it the same every time that Martha invites us over?" Gabe grinned at her.

"That is why I already said yes." Chloe returned his grin. "So how about it, Mr. Queen, would you be so kind to grace us with your presence?" She smiled at him impertinently.

Oliver smirked at her tone. "My kindness knows no bounds; of course I'll be there."

"Great." Chloe exclaimed happily.

* * *

"So?" Chloe began as she hooked her arm through his.

Oliver looked at her, his brows furrowed. "So what?" He eyed her searchingly.

"What do you think of my dad?" She bumped her hip against his side.

They were both standing by the sidelines while Gabe was by the bleachers, being introduced to the entire Metropolis Sharks. After their lunch Oliver made one phone call and there they were.

Oliver's gaze returned to her father, who was talking to the quarterback with such enthusiasm. He thought back on their short talk. He was still unsure if Gabe liked him or not, but it was clear that the man thought that the sun rose and set on his daughter, something that Oliver agreed with. And his confession seemed to have gone a long way with the elder Sullivan.

"I think he loves you, and he wants you to be happy." He answered simply.

Chloe beamed. "You make me happy."

Oliver smiled at her fondly. "Likewise."

"What else is going on in that beautiful head of yours?" She prodded smilingly.

"I think… I'm just glad my bones are all still intact despite the fact that he found out about my proposal." Oliver let go of her arm in favor of wrapping his arm around her waist.

Chloe's brows furrowed as she looked up at him. "Proposal?"

Oliver just smiled as he watched her thought process.

She winced when she finally figured out what he was talking about. "I'm going to kill Lois." She uttered murderously.

Oliver just laughed as he steered them towards Gabe and the team.

TBC


	20. Too Fast Too Furious

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

AN: As promised, the next chappie! And it's 'Justice' in case you guys are wondering. Credit to tvmegasite for the episode transcripts. As usual, rearranged events to fit my plot. And somewhere along this chapter you guys will probably be confused, with a certain character's behavior, but rest assured i have a point to this entire thing. Thanks to everyone who read and reviewed the last chapter, glad you liked the meeting between gabe and ollie ( i figured that it was about time). Now, on with the story...

Chapter 18

_Too Fast Too Furious_

Chloe was typing on her computer furiously.

"Clark, I know hunting down Zoners is your top priority, but if you haven't found anything in South America, we still have a situation back here in Kansas we need to deal with." She was unable to hide her impatience.

Sometimes she felt like she wasn't getting through to her best friend. Clark had been a man on a mission and he was taking her right along with him. For the last week he had been going coast to coast, continent to continent hunting the Zoners and she had been right with him every step of the way. They hadn't stop for any rest, which was perpetuated considerably by her boyfriend's absence.

She sighed as she remembered that Oliver had promised that he would be back yesterday, which he failed to fulfill for the third time that week. Chloe had a feeling that his absence had more to do with his Green Arrow persona rather than his day job.

She was trying to be the good girlfriend; she hadn't picked a fight when he told her that he couldn't make it back to Metropolis. But maybe they finally reached the point in their relationship when full disclosure would serve their best interest. They knew the basics about what the other one did but the rest was still clouded with mystery. He had no idea about the Zoners and she only knew about his crime fighting activities, she had a feeling he was working on something bigger but she suppressed her natural curiosity and she hadn't researched any further.

Their relationship was strong, she knew that. It was further strengthened by his meeting her father. Her dad told her she had a good guy in Oliver and that was a high compliment coming from Gabe Sullivan. Her dad was looking at her and then at Oliver as though he knew something she didn't. She knew she missed something when she left the two alone. But when she interrogated her dad and then Oliver she was still without answers.

Chloe refocused on Clark. "No, he'll be here in 15 minutes." She glanced at the clock on her desk. "Okay. Great. I'll see you in a few." She finally hung up and saved her file. She got up from the chair with the intention of going into the copy room. She was waylaid by the appearance of a man.

"Dr. Casselli, you're early." Chloe commented, she watched the man move and she couldn't help but feel a little wary at his expression.

"You're annoyingly persistent, Miss Sullivan. I've already told you, I don't know anything." The man exclaimed impatiently.

Chloe shook her head; her mind was fully on the confrontation on hand. "Don't sell yourself short, doctor. I think you're a very knowledgeable man." She eyed him intently. "In the last few months, over a dozen patients have been transferred out of the high-security wing at Belle Reeve. And I believe that's your signature on all the paperwork." She watched him for any reaction.

"Patients are transferred in and out of mental facilities all the time." Dr. Casselli replied shakily.

Chloe looked at him skeptically. "Even ones that exhibit unusual abilities? Where are they transferred to? Is Luthorcorp involved? Does this have anything to do with 33.1?" She shot question after question, fully giving the doctor the full Chloe Sullivan, intrepid reporter routine.

The man pulled out a gun and Chloe knew she pushed him too much. She raised her hands as a sign of surrender, secretly hoping that Clark would get there in time. "Okay, I'll take that as a no comment." She murmured quietly.

"I didn't want any of this. But it was so much money." Dr. Casselli uttered, as though he was trying to convince her.

Chloe waited for the shot to be fired. Clark was coming, she knew he was. The next thing she knew the doctor was lying unconscious on the ground and the gun was in her hands.

"Chloe? You okay?" Clark appeared from behind her.

She turned around and faced him, relief evident in her expression. "Yeah, just in the nick of time, as always." She grinned at him wryly. She tried to cover up the fact that her hand was shaking.

"It wasn't me. He was already down when I got here." Clark replied, a little guiltily in her opinion.

Her brows furrowed. "What?" She stared at him, unconvinced. "Well, if it wasn't you then who-" And just like that Clark disappeared again. "I really hate it when you do that you know." She said on the off chance that her best friend was listening.

She picked up the phone to call the cops. After being told that the police were on their way she looked for something to tie the doctor with, just as a precaution. She had no intention of getting a repeat performance.

Chloe sat back on her chair and waited. A minute passed and she decided to call Oliver, she really needed to hear his voice after what almost happened. A flash of irritation went through her when she heard his voicemail. Apparently, she would be driving home to Smallville tonight.

* * *

Oliver heard the ding of the elevator and he watched the younger man who walked through it. He shook his head when his guest headed straight for the refrigerator.

"You'd think we'd be used to this by now." The blonde man to his right commented wryly.

Before he could reply someone beat him to it.

"It's not my fault I burn a lot of calories." Bart Allen, who appeared seemingly out of nowhere, replied resentfully before biting into the sandwich he just made.

"Still doesn't excuse the fact that you always stuff yourself before you update us with your mission." Another voice interjected. Victor Stone looked at Bart pointedly, waiting for him to contradict his statement.

"He's got you there dude." Arthur Curry smirked at him.

"You gonna let them gang up on me boss." Bart looked at him for support.

This was his team. Each man brought something to the table.

Bart was the fastest person he knew, he even beat Clark, it was a matter of seconds but he insisted he was _the Speedy Gonzales_. Oliver met up with Bart just as the younger man was trying to turn his life around and he had no idea how to do so exactly. Oliver liked to think that he aided Bart in heading for the right direction. Now, instead of playing sticking fingers, he was using his speed in trying to make the world a better place.

He met Victor at the lowest point of his life. He didn't even know that Victor had any special talents. The man was living on the streets, had no source of income to speak of. Oliver just offered to buy him dinner and somehow they ended up talking the 'special hardware' that was installed in him after his accident. Now Victor was working relentlessly, all in the name of justice.

At first glance, Oliver thought that AC was just the run-of-the-mill surfer dude. He certainly looked and talked like one. But when he happened to see the man off the coast of Japan, trying to sink a ship for not packaging dolphin-safe tuna, well it tipped him off that AC was anything but ordinary. And under water the man had a whole lot of power.

Oliver was actually the normal one in the group, which amused him to no end. But he was trained in hand to hand combat, he packed a hell of a punch when it came to shooting arrows and he had unlimited resources that he had every intention of using in order to make the world a better place.

All in all they were not band for a rag-tag group.

Oliver just shrugged in reply. "What's Casselli's status?" He asked in his business-as-usual tone. Bart was trailing after a doctor from Belle Reeve.

"Down for the count for now." Bart answered proudly. "He had a hot reporter at gun point." His eyes became glazed in remembrance of the hot reporter.

Impulse, Bart's codename was clearly well-deserved. He wondered what the hot reporter thought of him, assuming that the woman even saw him. Oliver hoped she didn't so the team would remain uncompromised.

Victor rolled his eyes. "So what's next on the agenda?" He looked at Oliver expectantly.

Oliver looked at his team. "Keep tracking 33.1. I think this time we should head right to the source." He said gravely.

The rest of the men became serious at his words, even Bart seemed to come out of his lust-filled imaginings.

Oliver felt his phone vibrate, he knew it was Chloe. He had been neglecting her for the last few days. He felt even worse at not telling her that he was back. But they had a mission to fulfill; he was not going to compromise his entire team so he could avoid fighting with his girlfriend.

Not that they would actually fight. Chloe understood whenever he told her that he couldn't come back yet. He could tell she was becoming impatient but she knew his other job and she was fulfilling her promise, that she wouldn't ask him to deny the part of him that drove him to putting on the green leather.

He ignored it and started giving the guys their orders. He needed to keep his head in the game.

He was going to make it up to her.

Once they were done he would make sure that she knew that she more important to him than anything else. It was precisely why he needed to keep his distance from her in the mean time. He realized that Chloe had the ability to consume him, there were moments that he became so engrossed with her that he forgot the rest of the world, times that she even needed to remind him to go on patrol.

Chloe Sullivan was becoming his undoing. Sometimes, when he was feeling particularly selfish, he would imagine whisking Chloe away to an isolated island, where nothing could get in the way of their relationship. But that was not who they were, they were meant to help people.

One of these days he would give Chloe full disclosure on what he was up to. The sooner it happened the better off they'd be. But for now he had a mission to complete.

* * *

"He got away from you?" Chloe had to struggle to keep the amusement from her voice. "I thought you were the fastest man alive?"

It was early in the morning and since Clark never bothered to call her back she figured she should pay him a visit before heading to Metropolis.

"Whoever he was, he saved your life. Which is more than I could say." Clark uttered in self-recrimination.

Chloe rolled her eyes slightly, not at Clark's tendency to blame himself for not being there on time but for his lie. He knew who the guy was, she could tell. They had been best friends far too long a time that she knew his every expression; he avoided her eyes when he uttered his first sentence. She patted him arm comfortingly. "Come on, Clark. Even with all your powers, you can't be everywhere at once." She was used to this, whenever Clark needed a good talking to he could count on her.

"I have to be. I'm the only one who can round up the prisoners from the Phantom Zone and stop Lex from experimenting on people with abilities. What did you find out from Casselli about 33.1?" Clark looked at her intently.

She sighed heavily when she saw that there was no way he was going to let the subject go. She might as well fill him in on what happened after he left the night before. "Nothing and I'm not going to. Casselli was in and out of prison before the ink could dry on his fingerprints" She said dryly.

Clark's brows furrowed at her answer. "How'd he get out so fast?"

"I don't know, but a Luthorcorp lawyer paid Casselli a visit right before his release." She answered pointedly, she had a feeling that Clark knew who was behind the doctor's great escape.

"Lex." Clark uttered the name with an unspoken fury.

"Casselli could be stashed halfway around the world by now." She muttered matter-of-factly.

Clark looked thoughtful for a moment. "I'll get in touch with Lionel. Maybe he can tell us something." He eyed her questioningly.

Chloe shrugged, she was still uncomfortable with the relationship between the two. But there were times that it paid to have Lionel on their side. "I'll keep sifting through my Luthorcorp intel. Maybe we'll get lucky, and I'll come up with a few bread crumbs." She mentally rearranged her schedule. She was going to drop by Oliver's place and make sure that the stuff she bought three days ago was still edible. And to check on the off chance that her wayward boyfriend was finally home.

"Hey, gorgeous. What's up? You miss me?" A guy, a little younger than they were, appeared out of nowhere.

Chloe looked at Clark and then back at interloper. He looked vaguely familiar.

"I'm Bart Allen. We had a moment on the town last time I was here." Bart grinned at her widely.

"Two years ago, before you had a boyfriend." Clark's chest was all puffed out as he uttered the words.

Chloe smiled in amusement. It felt like Clark was guarding the fort while Oliver was away.

And then something just clicked, Bart, the boy who gave her a tulip in a blink of an eye. She rolled her eyes. "Oh! Right! Wow. It's good to see you again, Bart." She said enthusiastically as she held out her hand to shake his.

"The pleasure's all mine, senorita." Bart took her hand in his and kissed it gallantly.

Chloe looked at him uncomfortably and then at Clark. "I'll see you around." She said smilingly before gently taking her hand from the younger man. She gave Clark one last meaningful look before heading out.

Clark sure had a bizarre circle of friends, herself excluded of course. Chloe laughed quietly, who was she kidding, she basically started the trend.

* * *

Oliver hit the button that would lead him to his penthouse.

He settled his team on the floor under his own home. It was inconvenient but it was the only way he could ensure their anonymity on the off chance that Chloe stopped by, which she was known to do during his absence.

All the equipment was in his place, which prompted him to ask Victor to come up with an inventory of what he thought they would need for their operation, at least then his team wouldn't need to go up and down a floor whenever they needed to discuss their plans.

Oliver took a deep calming breath. He was hoping he could take a short nap before the mission for tonight. He hadn't slept in days and he had to admit that he was a little tired. He rubbed his eyes as he stepped out of the elevator, only to be welcomed by a surprising sight.

Chloe Sullivan was glaring daggers in his direction.

"So, when I woke up this morning I remembered that I brought over food three days ago, when you told me that you were coming home." Chloe began airily.

Oliver took a deep breath. He was not going to be able to take that nap now.

"I figured I should come over and get rid of them, since you haven't bothered coming back yet." The edge in her voice was becoming evident. "And what should I see the moment I step into this place?" She looked at him inquiringly. "Everything looked normal, except for a cup in the sink, which you hadn't used since you've been gone." She advanced towards him. "So when I explored further do you know what I found?" She asked him.

Oliver crossed his arms across his chest and waited. She was angry, that much he gathered. And he deserved her anger so he was going to let her have her say.

"Everything was nice and neat. The bed was made; everything was in its place, including the suitcases that you took for your trip." She added quietly. "So I deduced that you've been home for at least a day." Her eyes narrowed as she stared at him. "Now I want to know why you've been avoiding me." She demanded as she stopped right in front of him.

This was not the homecoming he wanted or he needed.

"I have been avoiding you." He admitted softly. He saw a flash of hurt cross her features and he wanted to do everything to erase her sadness. "And you have no idea how difficult it has been."

Chloe looked at him uncertainly. "Why?" She gazed up at him in confusion.

He took a deep breath and decided that she deserved the truth. "Because when I'm with you, the rest of the world fades away." He placed his hands on her shoulders and met her gaze fully.

Her brows furrowed as she stared right back at him, as though she didn't believe any word he said.

His hands drifted from her shoulders and settled on her waist. He relished the chance to touch her after his weeklong absence. Oliver was suddenly confused.

It was odd, in the early stages of their relationship he thought of her a lot. A random moment between them would pop into his mind and would make him smile. But he never felt like her presence would consume him. As their relationship progressed she became his anchor, especially when she discovered that he was the Green Arrow. She became his support system, the one who kept his feet on the ground.

It felt sudden and unwelcome, his overwhelming need for her.

"You're involved in something big, aren't you?' She posed the question warily. They usually didn't pry into each other's secret missions so she was being as cautious as she could be.

Oliver nodded jerkily.

"Something to do with your alter ego." She guessed correctly.

He nodded again.

"Okay." She uttered quietly. "I'll stay away, until you sort it out." She took a step back. It pained her to do so, but she made a promise and she would keep it. Besides, she knew in her heart of hearts that Oliver would always come back to her.

Oliver looked at his empty hands. What was he doing? He asked himself. Was he purposely driving her away from him? There was no conceivable reason why he should do such a thing.

"Chloe?" He reached out so he could touch her again.

She took his hands in hers and crossed the short distance between them. She stood on her toes and kissed him, softly, gently. "I just want you to be safe." She said quietly before taking a step back and darting towards the elevator.

Oliver was glued to the spot.

He watched as the elevator doors closed and the numbers started to go down. He ran a hand through his hair in agitation. He had no idea what just happened. His gaze roamed around the penthouse, searching for something, yet he had no idea what he was looking for.

This was ridiculous. He was a grown man, he could compartmentalize. He could be around Chloe and still remain focused on the mission. He tried to tell himself over and over. But the fact was, the moment he saw her in his house he felt the world shrink to just the two of them. If it hadn't been for her ire the two of them would ended up locked in his watchtower for days at a time, to make up for the week that they'd been apart.

Oliver walked mechanically over to his chair. As he sank down to his seat a thought dawned on him. Chloe Sullivan, his wonderful girlfriend, had become his greatest weakness.

Before he could dwell on his startling realization his cell phone burst into life. He read the text message that he just received, "_Game on_."

TBC


	21. Better Than

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

AN: Yup, your eyes are not deceiving you. I am updating. I'm on a roll, kinda. School's out for three weeks so I am going to take advantage of my newfound (temporary) freedom and update my fics. It has been months since I wrote anything on this one and for that I am profoundly sorry. But here it is now, hope you guys enjoy reading. Also many thanks to the reviews and the PMs, sorry if I couldn't deliver earlier, my reasons are at the second AN. So please read it, kinda important. Now, on with the story...

Chapter 19

_Better than_

The Green Arrow was lurking in the shadows.

He felt a mild irritation course through him. Bart contacted him a couple of minute ago and he immediately donned his costume and headed for their rendezvous point.

The team had painstakingly come up with a way to confuse anyone who was inclined to follow them. That was precisely why he was hanging around the rooftop of a random building, more than twenty miles away from his building.

He surveyed the landscape, taking note of any area that would serve as a blind spot for them. He pretty much covered every weak point and he just had to wait until- Finally, Bart made his appearance.

"Hey! Are we gonna do this?" Bart uttered in mock whisper. "Or are you gonna lurk in the shadows all night?"

Oliver rolled his eyes as he aimed his arrow at the opposite direction. He felt his annoyance multiply as he descended from a cable and landed in front of Bart. "Just being careful." He murmured in an authoritative voice.

Bart rolled his eyes.

Oliver inclined his head slightly. "After all, I'm not as fast as you."

"There you go, boss man." Impulse handed him the flash drive.

He took it and immediately moved to secure their intel. "Meet you back at the base." He turned around, all set to go.

"I'll be a while, crocodile." Bart said cheerfully.

Oliver faced his comrade and gave him a questioning look.

"I got friends to see and a woman to worship as my goddess." Bart replied with a wide grin.

Oliver's brows furrowed as he eyed Bart. He wondered who exactly the woman he was talking about. Usually the younger man was pretty fickle when it came to women. Perhaps, the one he was talking about was different. He shook his head in mild exasperation. "Just don't forget the mission." He reminded quietly.

Bart saluted him. "Won't dream of it, boss." And before Oliver could even blink, he was gone.

* * *

Chloe took a sip of her water. She glanced at her watch and knew that her companion wasn't late. Yet.

She frowned as she remembered the night before. Oliver, he was frustrating the hell out of her. But she couldn't feel the urge to lash out at him. He was putting himself out there, in danger's way. She was proud of him, incredibly so. But there were moments when it felt like she was getting in the way of his mission.

"Chloe." Her name was whispered quietly, breaking her out of her reverie.

She looked up at her friend, who hadn't felt like her friend for the past few weeks. "Lana." She said the name as diplomatically as she could.

Lana took the seat across from her.

A long silence reigned over them.

Chloe wondered what Lana wanted to say to her, after finally breaking the silent treatment. When the brunette called her the night before, she thought that they could finally get past their last conversation. She had to admit that she said some pretty callous things. She could have phrased them better but she didn't regret saying what she had said.

"I'm sorry." Lana uttered softly, as she finally was able to meet her gaze.

She remained quiet.

"I guess… I never realized that I was putting you in the middle." Lana looked at her beseechingly.

Chloe sighed before picking up her glass of water; she was wishing she got a cup of coffee. Not as though it was too late, she was at the Talon and she could easily get up and place her order.

Lana placed a hand over hers. "Chloe, I am sorry." She said with no hint of pleading, just pure sincerity.

She took a deep breath as she turned her hand over and gave Lana's a reassuring squeeze. "It's okay." She murmured quietly.

Lana shook her head. "No. It wasn't fair, what I said and did. I really am sorry, Chloe."

A weak smile appeared on Chloe's face. "I forgive you."

Lana responded with a teary smile. "Thank you."

A long quiet ensued once again, but this time there were no adversarial undertones.

"So? How about you tell me what's going on?" Chloe asked Lana, she knew there was something that her friend wanted to tell her.

A hesitant look crossed Lana's features. "I accepted Lex' proposal."

Chloe's brow rose at the statement.

"I know what you're thinking." Lana began, unable to look her in the eye. "But I do love Lex. I…have been obsessing over Clark and that was wrong of me. Lex and I, we're going to have a family and that…that's all there is to it." She was wearing her resolve quite courageously, finally able to meet Chloe's gaze.

Her brows furrowed as she tried to gauge the sincerity in Lana's eyes. "Are you sure?"

Lana nodded.

"I guess I have to offer Lex my congratulations and my best wishes to you." Chloe said with a smile. Her friend finally made a definitive decision; Lana was probably making a huge mistake but she was going to be there for her, every step of the way.

Lana flashed her a grateful smile.

Chloe smiled back. Nothing was completely resolved and yet…she felt like she finally found her friend again. "So tell." She looked at Lana expectantly.

Her friend seemed to blossom prettily upon her question. "Things have been busy. Lex and I have been…" Lana looked around surreptitiously, probably to check if anyone was within hearing distance. "Preparing." She gave Chloe a meaningful look.

She nodded in turn. Lana was talking about more than the wedding.

"And the planning for the wedding. You won't believe the list that Lex gave me. I'm supposed to create an invitation list from…basically the entire Luthercorp address book." Lana shook her head smilingly.

"How many?" Chloe leaned forward as she asked the question.

"I'm supposed to narrow it down to three hundred. Good thing Lex hired an army of wedding planners who, according to him, must bow down to my every command." She blushed prettily.

Chloe laughed quietly at the comment. "He does know that you wouldn't let anyone actually bow to you, right?"

Lana shook her head. "He knows. He just wanted to make things easier on me. And I could use all the help I can get. A couple of days ago I got calls from several caterers, it got to the point that I had to make the wedding planner take the calls." She murmured in mild exasperation.

"Seems like you're learning already." Chloe said as she leaned back on her chair.

Her friend looked at her curiously.

"Learning how to fit in Lex' world, the world of the rich and famous." Chloe clarified.

Lana's brow rose at her pronouncement. "Funny, aren't you part of that world as well? You also have your own…version."

She wrinkled her nose. The truth, she and Ollie were basically isolated from the realities of tabloid coupledom. And they didn't really indulge the usual billionaire act. Sometimes, they went to fancy restaurants but they already had a plan to thwart the paparazzi. So really, Lana was only half right, she was not part of the world of the privileged but she did have Oliver, well the part he was willing to share with her.

"Hey, are you okay?" Lana placed a warm hand over hers.

Chloe shook her head; she was unaware of what just happened. "Huh?"

"It's just that, you looked so sad, just now." Lana shot her a worried look.

She waved her hand in dismissal. "It's nothing."

Lana frowned. "Are you sure? You know you can tell me, right?"

She took a deep breath. There were a lot of things she couldn't tell Lana, but her relationship problems were not one of them. The basic premise of having a girlfriend was so she could have someone to confide in, someone she could rant about her ever stubborn boyfriend. "Ollie and I…we're just having some issues."

"Issues?" Lana pressed on.

"It's just…it's like I never see him as much as I used to." Chloe murmured quietly. "And…I don't know how to explain it…it's like he's distancing himself from me." She added weakly. It was as if she finally gave voice to her primary worry. Oliver was becoming more and more distant lately. And she was feeling more and more invested in their relationship.

Lana remained quiet. She squeezed Chloe's hand reassuringly. "Lex gets that way sometimes too. When he's working on a project."

Chloe attempted to smile. She wanted to insist that Lex was nothing like Oliver. But she already thought as much, that Oliver was working on a project alright, just nothing related to Queen Industries.

"You know what would do you good?" Lana began cheerfully.

She had to blink in order to catch up with her friend. "What?"

"Shopping." Lana declared with such determination.

"Shopping?" Chloe choked out, slightly amused.

"Yup. Come with me." Lana said excitedly. "Come with me and Aunt Nell."

Her brows furrowed. "Let me catch up. Where? And your Aunt Nell?"

Lana nodded. "I'm going shopping for a wedding dress. And Nell, well she wants to come along too." She shrugged helplessly. "Besides, we might as well start shopping for your dress too."

"My dress?" Chloe looked at her friend searchingly.

Lana nodded again. "My maid of honor should have nothing but the best." She uttered with a glowing smile.

An utter silence followed.

"Chloe, in case you were wondering, I just asked you to be my maid of honor." Lana looked at her shyly.

"Of course, I'd be honored to." She replied sincerely.

"So shopping?" Lana asked again.

"Sure, I might as well go to the Planet too, if we're going to Metropolis." Chloe mused.

"We're not going to Metropolis." Lana began. "Paris. Nell wanted to go to Paris." She answered at her inquiring look.

"Lana-"

"It's Paris, Chloe." She stated plainly.

"Ordinarily, I wouldn't say no to Paris." Chloe started. "But I have the Planet. And Oliver's finally back."

Lana looked disappointed. "Fine, as long as you promise me you and Oliver are going to make up."

She sighed in amused exasperation. "I will."

"If you care for him, truly care, you won't let him go without a fight." Lana spoke softly, as though remembering her own mistakes.

Chloe watched her friend. And she knew, as much as she loved Lana, she didn't want to ever be in the position that she was in. She was not going to let the secrets that Oliver is keeping break them. Or vice versa, she added to herself as an afterthought.

* * *

"You know what you need?" Lois burst into the Talon apartment, clearly buzzing in excitement.

Chloe looked up from the book she was reading and gave her cousin a quizzical smile. "What do I need?" She asked gamely.

"A vacation!" Lois declared emphatically as she raised the shopping bag that she was holding.

She shook her head in confusion. "Lo, in case you haven't noticed, I have been on vacation, school's been out for a while now. Hopefully, it'll start back up again this spring." Chloe added almost to herself. She truly wanted to go back to Met U and get her degree already.

Lois rolled her eyes. "I don't mean school Chlo. You and Ollie, now I know you haven't mentioned anything," Lois gave her a meaningful look. "But it looks like you two can use some time away, from here." She gestured around the place.

Her brows furrowed. So Lois noticed that something was off. Still, their problems wouldn't just magically disappear if they went away together. Life was not a fairy tale; no they definitely needed to address their issues not run away from them.

"Come on, you're always complaining that he's always going from one place to another. At least when you guys go on a trip, well your Prince Charming won't be pulling a disappearing act every five minutes." Her cousin looked at her pointedly as she placed the shopping bag on the table. "Besides, I know of a way that you can keep his full attention." Lois smirked at her mischievously as she reached into the bag.

Chloe stood up from her perch on the couch and looked at Lois with interest.

Lois pulled out a very skimpy piece of lingerie and held it out to her. "I don't think he'll be rushing out once he sees you in this." She declared enthusiastically.

The green lingerie that Lois was handing her made her blush in its utter lack of material.

She took the clothing, if it could be called that, and held it up to herself. "Where did you get this?" She looked at Lois.

"Victoria's Secret." Lois gave her an exasperated look. "I also have one in black for you." She took out the said black one.

"Green, definitely his color." Chloe murmured absently as she wondered what she would look like wearing the lingerie.

"Hey Chloe!" Clark barged into the apartment without so much as a knock.

Lois glared at the intruder, or what she perceived to be an intruder in a particularly girly moment. "God, Smallville. Learn how to knock. What if Chloe had been naked?" She huffed in righteous indignation.

Chloe almost crumpled the undergarment in her hands at the sight of Clark. She was a little mortified at what Lois said; she did have a point, though. Her best friend had a tendency of just barging into her place.

Clark, who turned a bright shade of red, winced at her words. "Sorry-"

"Whatever. So Chlo, you keep the green one and I'll trade this one for something my size." Lois placed the black lingerie back in the bag. "And remember what I said." Lois singsonged as she headed for the door.

Chloe shook her head in mild amusement as she headed for the closet to hide the underwear. "So what's up, Clark?" She asked once popped out of the closet.

Clark was frowning at nothing in particular. "I…you know I trust you, right?" Clark was looking at him, seemingly troubled by something.

She nodded. "I know, Clark."

"And that thing with Oliver, you understand why I couldn't tell you." Clark looked at her searchingly.

She nodded again. "Is something wrong, Clark?" Chloe was beginning to worry.

"I don't know yet. The guy who saved you at the Planet, he didn't exactly get away." Clark took a deep breath. "It was Bart."

A dawn of understanding settled on her expression. She blinked a couple of times. It explained the tulip incident. "So Bart can superspeed too?" She asked, slightly amazed.

Her best friend looked relieved at her reply. "He's actually a lot faster than I am. That's the truth. I'm sorry I didn't tell you." He looked at her apologetically.

Chloe waved off his apology. "It's fine, Clark. You were protecting him. If anyone gets it, it's me." Chloe gave him a small smile. She seemed to be constantly learning of other super individuals and their secret identities. Her brows furrowed. "Why are you outing him now?"

"I think he's headed for trouble. I need to find him." He declared with such determination. "Can you GPS his cell?"

She walked towards the table and booted up her laptop. "I can try. Do you have his number?" She looked up at Clark, who joined her at the table and gave her the number.

"He broke into a Luthorcorp plant in Mexico. Now I think Lex is onto him. If he breaks into another facility…" He trailed off worriedly.

Chloe shook her head at the result that she got. "No good, his phone must be off."

Clark frowned. "What about call history? Can you pull up a record?" He looked at her with hope in his eyes.

"Legally, absolutely not." She said as she started to do just as he said. She grinned when she managed to pull up the records.

"There are over a dozen calls to this Metropolis number, just in the last twenty four hours." Clark gave her a curious look.

Her eyes narrowed. "Let's see who on the other end." She did a reverse phone look up and came up with a business name. "Artemis Global Consortium."

"Doesn't ring any bells, do you know anything about it?" Clark asked as he looked over her shoulder.

Chloe focused on discovering more on the company. "It is a subsidiary of J.L. International, which is a satellite company currently orbiting…" She frowned as she read the name.

"Queen Industries." Clark said the name in a hard tone. "It's Oliver, He's using Bart to attack Luthorcorp."

Chloe stopped her search at Clark's statement. She felt a little…it was still undefined, but knowing that her boyfriend…she was not happy with the turn of events.

Clark stood up to his full height. "Chloe-"

"Go, Clark. Talk to him. I know you're dying to." She interjected somewhat bitterly.

"I guess you had no idea-"

"Of course not!" She looked at him in agitation. "Do you think I would keep something like this from you?" Chloe shot him a reproachful look.

"It's not that. It's…it's Oliver." Clark started quietly.

"Oliver may be my boyfriend but I don't tell him everything, especially nothing about you, Clark." She uttered in exasperation. It was one of the reasons that she and Oliver were currently at odds. For all the things they knew about each other, they were still missing a few key secrets.

"I think, intellectually I knew that. But I guess, there's no reason why you shouldn't tell him Chloe. I trust you and I trust him. But using Bart..." Clark shook his head in disapproval.

She gave Clark a small smile. Her best friend just essentially gave her permission to grant Oliver full disclosure, not that he deserved it. "Clark, some things that I know, those things are for you to tell." She patted his arm companionably. "Now, go and find out what's really going on."

"You're not coming?" Clark gave her a confused gaze.

"Right now, I'm feeling less than nice towards Oliver. It's better if you go on your own. Ollie and I…we're having some issues right now." Chloe ran a hand through her hair in slight agitation.

'Chlo, I didn't know." Clark hugged her, in an attempt to comfort her.

"Let's lament later, right now there are more important things." Chloe pulled back from the hug and reminded him.

Clark looked at her, as though trying to gauge her statement. He nodded eventually. "We'll talk later, okay?" He pulled back and tried to meet her gaze.

Chloe smiled at him, not her usual megawatt smile but a smile nonetheless. "Less worrying about me and more worrying about Bart." She chided him before he finally sped away. Things on the Oliver front were not peachy keen, but her friendships, they seem to be in top condition. She thought happily as she closed her computer with every intention of heading for the Planet.

* * *

The elevator dinged to a stop and Oliver stopped what he was doing. So far there had not been any distractions in their current endeavor but a part of him was hoping. That Chloe would show up and they could sort through their problems. But another part was rather focused on the operation. So far Bart hadn't been back from his mission and things were not looking good.

"Oliver." Clark Kent stepped out of the elevator, looking particularly furious.

He had no time for Clark and whatever his issue was for the day. "Look Clark, whatever has your tighty whities in a twist, now is not the time." He said in dismissal of the younger man.

"Where's Bart?" Clark asked accusingly. "I know he's working for you."

A mild irritation coursed through him at Clark's words. "Not for me, with me. There's a difference." He corrected his friend.

"It's not gonna matter when he ends up in jail or worse." Clark retorted angrily.

Of course Oliver noticed the righteous tone in his voice despite the anger that colored it entirely. But he knew Bart, the two of them had worked together long enough for him to get to know the younger man. Clark had no idea what he was talking about. "Yeah, you don't know what you are talking about." He gave voice to exactly what he was thinking.

"Oliver, I know how much you hate Lex. Is that why you recruited Bart, to help with your little vendetta?" Clark looked at him questioningly.

There were times that Oliver just wanted to tell Clark off. To tell him that he did not answer to him. He shook his head in exasperation. "No." He answered firmly. "We're trying to stop 33.1."

It was almost comical the way that Clark's eyes widened at his declaration.

"You know about 33.1? Why didn't you tell me what you were up to?" Clark demanded in his typical fashion.

'Because I don't answer to you.' Oliver mentally replied as he breathed a quiet sigh. He suspected that Clark knew about 33.1, Chloe probably did as well. He was a little disturbed at the Clark's lack of action at the knowledge that a facility housed people with meteor abilities and the fact that they were being kept against their will. He rolled his eyes. "Clark, do you check in with me every time you run off to save the world?" He posed the question with a frown on his face.

Clark remained quiet.

Boiling point, he had officially reached his. "Oh, that's right. For a second there I forgot." He acted like he made such a brilliant discovery. "You like to wait for trouble to show up on your doorstep." Oliver glared at the younger man.

"That's not true." He protested quietly.

"Then why haven't you done anything about 33.1?" He folded his arms across his chest and eyed Clark critically.

"I was busy with another problem." Clark shot back without hesitation.

He couldn't help but recall the satellite images that he gave Chloe. Clark's problem could very well have something to do with that. Still, someone had to mind what Lex Luthor was up to. "Fair enough." He said conciliatorily. "But this problem, Lex trying to build an army of super soldiers someone has to keep an eye on him." He added.

Clark nodded jerkily. "What have you found out?"

Oliver frowned. "Not much. Last night Bart infiltrated a place that was supposed to house the mainframe for 33.1. That was the last time I heard from him. So I reconned the target this morning." His frown deepened as he thought about what he found when he got there. "The place had been stripped clean. Everything was gone. The whole thing was a setup." Oliver ran a hand through his hair as he thought about what might have happened to Bart. They should have known. They should have planned on more contingency plans. But Bart was…he was Impulse. There were reasons he was dubbed so.

"Lex has Bart. We have to find him." Clark declared passionately.

Oliver grinded his teeth at the pronouncement, maybe it didn't occur to him that they were already working on it. He had no intention of leaving a member of his team behind. "My team's already on it." He managed to reply as emotionlessly as he could.

Clark's brows furrowed at his words. "Your team?"

Oliver motioned behind him and right on cue the two other individuals in the penthouse made their presence known. Arthur Curry and Victor Stone both stepped out and greeted Clark.

"Not everyone flies solo, Kent." Victor said pointedly.

Oliver smiled tightly at the three's reunion. They had better things to do but Clark needed some answers. So he figured they could multitask. He started rummaging through his desk. "AC, check the Luthorcorp manifests." He told the blonde man as he kept looking. He grumbled quietly when he couldn't find the blueprints for a number of buildings that Luthorcorp owned. The three men were busy talking so he didn't bother to excuse himself and headed for the next room.

A minute to himself and he wondered about the last thing he should be thinking about. Chloe. She was probably mad now. Through the course of their relationship, all she ever did was be understanding. And all he seemed to do was mess everything up, first with the Green Arrow secret, then there was the entire drug thing. Maybe he did not deserve to be with her, it felt like all he ever gave her was grief.

He promised himself that he would talk to her. Once Bart was safe and sound, they could iron out their, his issues. Maybe he could finally tell her how much he loved her.

TBC

AN2: So as I said earlier, this note is a little important. I am gonna try to finish this fic before the year is out. And yes, I am planning to end this fic. The next chapter will be the last chapter, for two reasons actually: I read somewhere that some people are getting sick of all the chlollie fics, so I kinda lost some energy in writing for the ship. But then I owe you guys an actual ending so I am going to do just that. The second reason, well when I look at this story and I see how many chapters it has been, it scares me a little. So this is a headsup, I will be concluding this fic in the next update. I would like to thank everyone who read and reviewed this story, I am immensely grateful for your feedback and for all the kind words. And in response to those who wanted this to extend longer than the episode 'Justice', I am going to do just that. With one chapter per episode, instead of three like this one. So don't think of it as losing 'When Ollie Met Chloe', think of it as gaining 'Defining Moments' which is the working title (I might change it to 'Moments that Define Us') for the kinda sequel but not really of this one. Thanks for reading.


	22. Resolved

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

AN: And finally...The ending folks. So sorry for taking too long. But the holidays turned out to be extremely busy for me and then school started before I could breathe. I did not have enough time to actually write this until recently and even then it was pretty hard to write. I guess I have become pretty attached to this one, been a long process. But everything's eventual and the end is finally here. **I would like to thank everyone who read and reviewed this fic, despite the sporadic updates. Thank you so much for sticking with me throughout the entire process. I could never have made it without you guys.** See how sentimental I get. But seriously, you guys rock and again I apologize for taking so long. And I will try to make it up to you guys, somehow (please read even after the words the end to find out how). Now, for the last time, one with the story...

Chapter 20

_Resolved_

"…a reason to go on living." Victor declared quietly as Oliver reentered the room.

Oliver's brows furrowed as he heard the words. "Did he just say something nice about me?" He shot the question to the two other occupants of the room.

AC grinned. "Maybe he's starting to rust."

Victor glared at AC but before he could comment on anything else Clark grabbed the other blonde man's attention.

"AC, how'd you fall into all this?" Clark asked.

Oliver crossed his arms across his chest and waited for the answer. It was an interesting meeting. He wondered how his friend was going to phrase his damsel in distress position then.

AC looked at him and then at Victor sheepishly. "I got into a little trouble sinking a whaler off the coast of Japan." He answered with such nonchalance.

Oliver chuckled quietly.

"A little trouble?" Victor countered incredulously. "That's what you're gonna go with? Ollie had to save your scaly butt from getting filleted." He added with a grin.

"I would have gotten out of it." AC retorted.

He figured he might as well join in the fun. "Oh really?" Oliver smirked at AC. "Before or after they packed you in a thousand little tin cans?" He joked good-naturedly.

"Fish jokes." AC raised his hands in exasperation. "That's all I ever get are fish jokes." He shook his head and focused his attention back on Clark. "So how's Lois doing, man? Is she alright?"

Clark was looking at the three of them in slight disbelief. "She's fine, I guess."

"Okay, I guess now that we're all caught up." Oliver used his most business-like tone so they could focus on their mission. "We need to focus on locating Bart." He was worried about the younger man.

"And how exactly did you get him involved in this?" Clark assumed the same position as him and looked at him expectantly. "He's never been much of a team player."

Annoyance rushed through him at the interrogator like stance that Clark has taken although; he couldn't help but understand where he was coming from. It was obvious that Clark saw Bart as a little brother, which was a role that Bart had in their group as well. "Looks like you two have something in common, huh? Actually, um, I was out on patrol in Star City one night, and I came across Bart. He was helping himself to a free meal. I could tell he was a good kid, you know? He just needed a little direction, so I offered him a job." He concluded simply.

"And look where that got him." Clark replied; his expression hardened into anger.

Oliver could not help but return the emotion. Clark was acting like everything was his fault. But there was a reason why Bart was given the name Impulse. "I underestimated Lex." He said admittedly as he booted up the large screen that was connected to his computer, giving the rest of the team the access to the map of the buildings that was owned by Lex. "It won't happen again. I've compiled a list of all Luthorcorp holdings within a 100-mile radius. Bart could be held in any one of those facilities."

Victor whistled when they saw the scope of Luthor's domain. "That's a lot of real estate to cover."

Clark's brows were furrowed as he stared at what they have to look into in order to find Bart. "I think I know someone who can help us narrow it down." His eyes meet Oliver's meaningfully.

Oliver was about to protest. He did not like the idea of involving Chloe with their missions. It was already dangerous dealing with Lex, getting Chloe involve, he didn't know if he could stand the thought that something would happen to her. And that he willingly subjected her to such dangers. "I don't think that's such a good idea."

Clark glared at him. "Can you come up with something better?" The challenge was in his entire tone.

"Limited involvement, Kent." He warned the younger man. He didn't bother explaining his words to AC and Victor, who were both looking at them with puzzled looks.

* * *

"Victor Stone and Arthur Curry are working for him, too?" Chloe burst out incredulously. Oliver was keeping a lot of secrets, way more than she was if they were comparing notes.

"Yeah, Oliver's been busy." Clark nodded meaningfully towards her computer.

Her best friend dropped by the Daily Planet and just dropped the bomb on her about her boyfriend's circle of friends and that they needed her to locate one of their own. She had to focus on the task at hand instead of the betrayal she felt; brought on by the fact that Oliver did not seem to trust her at all.

"Is there anything in your Luthorcorp intel that can help us find out where Bart's being held?" Clark asked as her fingers flew over the keyboard.

"I don't know." She sighed heavily. Her brows furrowed as she thought back on her investigation of Dr. Casselli. "Oh wait, when I had my feelers out for Dr. Casselli, I managed to shake loose some internal documents. In the last few days, there's been a flurry of equipment transfers to a place called the Ridge Facilities on the outskirts of Metropolis." She typed even more furiously as she had an idea of where Bart may be.

Clark was watching her type over her shoulder. "Doesn't Luthorcorp move equipment all the time?" He wondered with the slightest degree of skepticism.

She shook her head. "This isn't just a couple of forklifts, Clark. Half a ton of lead shielding, electrical pressure plates, more than $20 million worth of equipment to measure high-velocity particles." She uttered forcefully.

"It's Bart." Clark muttered quietly. "Take and everything and bring it to Oliver."

Chloe looked at him with apprehension. "Clark-"

"I can get to the Ridge Facility faster myself. I can't let anything happen to Bart." He interjected, as if sensing that she was about to protest.

She nodded and in a blink of an eye he was gone. Chloe steeled herself to the upcoming confrontation with Oliver. She had no idea what to feel after everything that Clark just disclosed. She took a fortifying breath and started to gather her stuff. The mission was important. She was not going to let her boyfriend issues get in the way of helping someone, even if she had to work with said boyfriend in order to get it done.

* * *

"Mr. Queen, it's Chloe Sullivan." Chloe uttered in her most business-like voice.

It was not difficult to act detached. For the first time in months she was unable to just enter the watchtower at will. Oliver was sure keeping everything secure. It hurt that she was barred from a place she thought of as her own home. "Clark sent me." She added sardonically.

"Limited involvement." Oliver grumbled under his breath as he finally keyed in the password so she could come in. "Where's Clark?" He asked, resigned to the fact that she was truly involved in everything now.

Chloe strolled into the tower and spared him a dismissive glance before looking for the other two members of his team. "He went to save Bart." She answered curtly when her search came up empty. She folded her arms across her chest and looked at him reproachfully.

"He told you about Bart?" He posed the question quietly. He preferred to have the confrontation with Chloe at a latter date. But it seemed like the powers that be were against him. Here she was, and it was becoming increasingly apparent that she was there to stay.

She glared at him. "We trust each other. Clark tells me everything." She looked at him meaningfully. "Well almost everything. I had to figure _your_ secret all by myself." Chloe was almost unable to meet his eyes for fear that he would know just how much she was hurt by his inability to trust her.

"Chloe-"

Chloe shook her head at his attempt to explain himself. "Now is not the time." She said lowly. "I have a solid lead on where Bart might be." Her voice rose significantly, hoping to draw AC and Victor out. "Where are AC and Victor?" She asked directly since the two seemed less inclined to show themselves.

Oliver shook his head. Clark seemed intent to ruin his relationship with his best friend. He took a deep breath. He could not blame Clark for his relationship problems. He chose to keep so many things from Chloe.

AC and Victor finally came out of hiding. They both stood beside Oliver and were smiling sheepishly, seemingly unaware of what was going on in Ollie's head.

"Guess we're not that good at the whole 'secret' part of this yet." Victor said ruefully.

"Yeah, but you're great at getting caught by the villain." Chloe replied sarcastically.

Victor and AC looked stung by the remark.

Chloe took a deep breath. She was stating the truth. But there was no reason that she should just blurt out what she thought, with no consideration for the other party. "Sorry, just not having the best of days." She did not bother looking at Oliver as she said the words. "I think Bart is being held at a place called Ridge Facility."

Oliver bristled slightly at the comment. He stared at his girlfriend, waiting for her to acknowledge him, to no avail.

"That's down by the docks." AC said excitedly, bringing Oliver out of his own world.

"It's on our list of possible 33.1 targets." He murmured distractedly as he walked towards his desk and clicked the mouse a couple of times to get the map on the screen right next to Chloe. "All right, guys. You know the drill. Let's gear up and get out." He spoke in his most authoritative tone.

Chloe finally looked at Oliver and she had to admit that he commanded respect, even out of the Green Arrow gear. She returned her gaze on the screen when her eyes clashed with his. What she saw worried her considerably. "Oh no." She whispered almost to herself.

Oliver was beside her in an instant. "What's wrong?" His hand landed on the small of her back and he looked at her worriedly. AC and Victor also turned to look at her.

For the first time since she arrived, Chloe looked at Oliver with no hint of animosity, just pure unadulterated worry. "Lead shielding. This isn't just for Bart. I think the Ridge Facility's being used to refine meteor rock. Clark's in trouble." Her voice trailed off as she considered the repercussions of what she just said. Clark was usually invincible but his invincibility ended when confronted by kryptonite.

Oliver looked at AC and Victor, the two left to prepare for the mission promptly. He dropped a kiss on top of Chloe's head. "We'll get them out of there." He whispered reassuringly.

She nodded in return. "I want to help." She stated firmly.

"Chloe-"

"I don't mean going there myself." She interjected before he could fully form his argument. "There must be something I can do." Chloe looked at him, slightly pleading. She needed to do something. She couldn't stand idly by and wait until the men folk saved the day. She knew that there must be a way that she could help.

Oliver looked at her thoughtfully. "Okay."

* * *

Oliver shot off an arrow where two guards were manning the facility. He waited until the arrow emitted the gas, knocking out the two. "Green Arrow to Watchtower. We're in position."

"Okay." Chloe adjusted her earpiece as she stared at the screen in front of her. "There should be a security access panel near the east door. According to this schematic, you need to very carefully rewire the sys-"

"Or... I could just jack in and shut the whole perimeter down." Victor interjected before she could fully complete her sentence.

"You can do that?" She asked incredulously.

"Courtesy of an upgrade, much thanks to Robin Hood." Victor replied in a slightly sarcastic but appreciative tone.

Oliver rolled his eyes as he focused on the mission but he then he could have sworn that he heard a scoff from Chloe's end.

Victor shot him a confused look. "Accessing perimeter security, perimeter neutralized."

He smirked at his teammate's actions. It never ceased to amaze him, the talents Victor and the rest of the team possessed. And he couldn't help but feel proud that he was surrounded with such men (or boy in Bart's case) who were determined to make the world a better place. "Aquaman, you're up." He muttered through the communicator just as he and Victor started to close in on the facility.

A couple of minutes passed and the AC responded with an affirmative on the successful perimeter breach. He and Victor ended up in front of a steel door. The two of them exchanged looks and Cyborg just shrugged and kicked the door down.

"You'd make one hell of a can opener." Oliver declared good-naturedly.

"And you'd look good on a bag of green peas." Victor retorted in the same tone.

"Guys, focus please." Chloe interjected, a little impatiently.

Oliver cleared his throat. "All right, we're in. Which way?" Perhaps he should invest on a communicator that would be able to restrict conversations, and maybe it could give him some privacy with Chloe whenever they were on a mission. He shook his head at the turn of his thoughts. This was a one time deal; he shouldn't get ahead of himself.

"The refinement vault's 100 meters southwest." Chloe answered promptly. "Still no word from _him_." Worry tinged her entire tone.

"If he's in there, we'll get him out." Victor replied reassuringly. "Let's go." He said as he started for the direction that Chloe told them to go.

Oliver grabbed his arm to stop him. "You've got a different mission." He reminded the younger man.

"You're the boss Robin Hood." Victor gave him a look before taking off towards the opposite direction.

"Wait, what mission?" Chloe asked loudly. "What are you doing?" She asked again when she received no answer. She started pacing back in the watchtower and once again hurt that she was still out of the loop.

Oliver could hear the impatience in her tone; he would have to atone for all his sins later. For the moment they had evil plans to foil. "Switching to silent running, stand by for instructions." He murmured for Chloe's sake. "Aquaman, do your thing."

He took off towards the direction that Chloe gave him, where Clark was probably trapped. He darted to the nearby column when he spotted two guards who were about to have an encounter with the Green Arrow. When they were finally close enough he sent a kick to the first guard's stomach and landed a punch on the other. Once the two were neutralized he took off running again.

"Hey, you're not supposed to be here!" Oliver heard another guard tell Clark, who was lying on the ground quite helplessly.

"Neither am I." He said just as he aimed for the back of the guard's neck and shot off a small arrow. The arrow emitted a mild electric shock and the man promptly fell to the ground. Oliver took quick steps towards Clark and helped the younger man to his feet. "Come on." He murmured just as he dragged Clark out of the room.

"I'm alright." Clark finally spoke once he was completely out of distance from the refined meteor rocks.

"You sure?" He looked at him critically. Once he was convinced that Clark was telling the truth he focused his attention on Chloe. "Green Arrow to Watchtower, Boyscout's out of the woods."

"Thank god." Chloe finally stopped pacing and gave into a weak smile. "Good job, Arrow."

Oliver smiled at her compliment. He heard the relief in her voice as well as the pride. It made him feel infinitely better. He started to walk away and Clark automatically followed after him.

"Boyscout?" The annoyance was loud and clear in Clark's tone.

He scoffed at his expression. "If you hadn't run off you could have picked your own codename." He uttered in disapproval. "You don't want to play for the team, that's just fine. Just be smart about it."

"Point taken." Clark replied grudgingly. "Where's Bart?"

"Impulse." He almost hissed the codename. Clark really needed to learn to be more covert about other people's secret identities. "He didn't get to pick his codename either. Watchtower will guide you to where he's probably being held." He handed Clark a communicator.

"What are you going to be doing?" Clark looked at him questioningly.

Oliver switched on his voice modulator. "What I do best." He started for the long hallway and began placing tiny explosive devices.

They finally got Clark out of trouble. Chloe focused on the map in front of her and deduced where they were keeping Bart. "Watchtower to Boyscout, let's find Impulse." Chloe said confidently.

* * *

Oliver finally finished placing the explosives on the hallway and started for the opposite direction. He pulled to a stop when he saw the one and only Lex Luthor.

"I don't care. I want a level-one lockdown. No one gets in or out!" The man practically barked into the radio he was holding.

"Little late for that." He smirked at the bald man. "You have ten minutes to clear your men out of here before I blow this place out the map."

"You!" Lex shot him the sharpest look.

"You remembered, I'm touched." He shot back sarcastically.

"Well, it's a little hard to forget. Last time we met you tried to put an arrow in my chest." Lex retorted coldly.

"Just trying to return the favor, after all you tried to put a bullet in mine." He countered easily. "Bygones?"

"Go to hell!' Lex responded, for the first time losing his cool.

"You first." Oliver rejoined and he shot off an arrow in Lex' direction. The weapon grazed the side of his face before it embedded itself on the wall behind him. Lex' attention was on the arrow, so Oliver took the opportunity to make a run for it.

* * *

"…yeah, I just—I just need a minute to catch my breath." Bart was telling Clark when Oliver reached them.

"Not to be insensitive, but you're gonna have to catch it later." He said as he patted the younger man on the back. "Aquaman, Cyborg, rendezvous alpha confirmed." He steered them towards the exit that they were taking.

"Watchtower, have all Luthor's men cleared the building." He asked Chloe once they reached outside. It was imperative that no one remained in the facility.

Chloe looked at the screen intently. She had a feeling something big was going to happen and the urgency in Oliver's tone was enough to tell her to check and double check before she answered. "The last heat signatures are moving away from the North." She finally answered after making sure.

Clark suddenly grabbed Oliver's arm. "Wait a second. What are you doing?" He shot him a very confused look.

Oliver's brows furrowed. "What do you think I'm doing? You want more of your friends to end up there?"

"Yeah, I'm voting no on that one." Bart piped in.

"Clark looked at him then at Bart. "Watchtower, are you sure that everyone's out of the building?"

Chloe shook her head smilingly. Clark was such a…boy scout. Oliver was just right in his assigning the codename. But she was wholly behind not letting anyone die. She was positive that Oliver was on the same wavelength. "One hundred percent positive." She answered confidently.

Victor and AC finally reached them. Clark looked at him again before nodding. "All right, let's do it."

Oliver nodded, with the tiniest hint of condescension as he pressed a button that triggered massive explosions behind them as they walked away.

She watched as the screen before her suddenly lit up. She shook her head in awe. "Whoa."

* * *

The five men were ways away from the facility. Oliver looked them over. Bart did not look worse for wear. Clark seemed to have fully recovered from the meteor rock exposure. AC was wet as a fish, but that was nothing new. And Victor was looking pretty satisfied; Oliver gathered that his mission was accomplished. "Alright men, let's head back to HQ." He said with a nod. "Watchtower, we're on our way." He told Chloe, to give her fair warning. Internally, he was dreading heading back. But if the guys actually came with him, they may act as a buffer against Chloe's impending wrath.

"Copy that." Chloe responded as she started fixing everything back to normal.

The team released a collective sigh of relief. All of them turned off their communicator as they prepared to unwind after a grueling mission.

Clark was looking at him intently. "Why don't we head back to the farm? I'm sure Bart would need all the food he could get." He focused his attention on the three other men.

"I'm in!" Bart answered almost immediately.

Victor and AC nodded in agreement.

Oliver frowned. But before he could voice his protest, Bart was already gone; AC was already heading for the water and Victor for his motorcycle. Only Clark was left.

"You and Chloe need to talk." Clark declared before he too took off.

He shook his head in frustration. "Meddling farm boy." He muttered to himself.

* * *

Chloe waited around the penthouse for the guys. She couldn't wait until Clark got there so he could take her back to Smallville. She wasn't ready to have a heart to heart with Oliver. Her anger and her hurt feelings would probably make her say things that could never be taken back.

She slumped on the couch. Part of her could understand why Oliver kept most of his secrets. She truly got that. But he knew… he knew that the meteor-infected were her expertise. Sure, she kept some things from him, but majority of them were Clark's secrets. If she had the liberty to disclose the information, she would have.

Maybe he didn't know that. Maybe it just boiled down to the fact that he didn't trust her.

The elevator finally opened with a ding. Chloe stood up and was expecting to see the five men stroll into the penthouse. Only Oliver, in his Green Arrow glory, walked in.

"Hey." Oliver greeted her quietly.

Chloe just looked at him blankly. She stared at him for a long minute before she realized something. "Meddler." She murmured darkly.

Oliver gave her a small smile as he lowered his hood and took off his glasses. "He thought we needed to talk."

She shook her head. "We do. But I'm not really in a very talky mood." She said just as she started to gather her stuff.

"Chloe, I know I've kept a lot from you-" Oliver began.

Chloe put a hand up to stop him. "No, you didn't just keep things from me. I could actually live with the fact that I don't know everything there is to know about you." She looked at him with such disappointment. "I get that you have secrets…but you push me away." She lowered her head so he couldn't see the tears forming in her eyes.

"Chloe-"

"I've already gone through feeling like I don't mean anything to someone I loved, but you…" She finally raised her gaze to meet his. "You made me feel worse." She whispered achingly. "I thought…I thought we were building something. But you just, it's like you were no longer here _with_ me." She looked at him tearfully. "You just pushed me aside like I meant nothing to you."

"That's not true. Chloe I-"

Chloe shook her head. She wasn't ready to hear what he had to say. The feelings were too raw. "I told you I can't do this right now." She brushed away her tears hastily. "You need to decide." She secured her bag on her shoulder. "You need to decide if this is still what you want… if I'm still what you want." She averted her gaze from his, unwilling to see the truth in his eyes; that she was not the one for him.

Oliver watched as Chloe turned her back on him and started for the elevator. He ordered himself to move, to speak but his body was not cooperating. Just as Chloe was talking he kept telling himself to interrupt, to tell her that he loved her. To no avail.

The moment she turned her back on him she regretted it. She should stay. They should work it out. This was not how it was supposed to end. They were never supposed to end. What she felt for the man behind her, she never felt it for anyone else, and it could not even be compared to what she felt for Clark. 'Stop me.' She quietly pleaded to him.

He watched as Chloe pressed the button of the elevator and the door automatically opened. He watched as she stepped in. He knew then, if she walked away now, there was no going back. If she left they would break.

Sure, they could probably try and save their relationship tomorrow, maybe they would have a few more months together. But it would not last, because he was too much of a coward to put himself in such a vulnerable position. And he would end up in the same place he was before he met Chloe. He would have to go back to his old ways and pretend that he didn't need anyone, not someone he loved more than life itself.

Oliver started walking, just as the elevator doors were closing. He was not going to back to the empty life he used to live. He was not going to lose the one woman who embraced every part of him. He shot out his arm to keep the doors from closing fully. "I love you." He declared with such earnestness.

Chloe looked up from her misery when the elevator doors did not close as she expected. She saw a hand and she felt hope. She looked at Oliver and watched with such fascination as he said the words that she last expected to hear.

"I love you." He said again as he stepped into the elevator. His hand shot out to press the stop button so the elevator would stand still. He closed the distance between them and settled his hands on her shoulders. "I've never been able to tell any other woman that. I've never even felt it. Until you."

Chloe felt her tears fall down her cheeks and Oliver cupped her face with both his hands and wiped them away with his thumbs.

"I didn't mean to push you away." He lowered his gaze in recrimination. "I just felt selfish."

Chloe's brows furrowed at the statement as she took his hands from her face and secured them in hers.

"I was willing to give everything up. This life, the mission." Oliver jerked his head to the penthouse's direction. "I just want to be with you and when I'm with you, the world fades."

"But I would never ask that of you." She answered quietly.

"I know." Oliver squeezed her hand reassuringly.

"Because it's my life too, Oliver." Chloe told him with such passion.

"I know." Oliver focused his stare on their joined hands.

"I love you." Chloe declared softly.

Oliver looked up at her declaration. He thought she did, but he was never entirely sure. "Despite the fact that I am such a colossal coward?" He asked as he tried to insert some levity in their exchange. Declarations of love are typically joyous occasion; this one was the exact opposite. While he was happy to discover that their love for each other was wholly mutual, it pained him to remember that he caused Chloe so much sorrow.

Chloe looked him in the eye and nodded solemnly. She was not going to make light of the situation. Oliver loves her and she loves Oliver. What caused them to finally admit to those feelings should not be taken lightly.

He touched his forehead against hers and breathed in deeply. He felt whole. For the first time in his life he felt like there was nothing missing. "I don't ever want to lose you." He murmured as he closed his eyes, hoping he could keep this moment forever.

She let go of his hand and placed hers on his cheek. "You won't." She uttered with such confidence.

Oliver opened his eyes and looked straight into her hazel orbs. "I almost did. I don't want you to regret loving me. I don't want to do things that hurt you and push you away from me." He placed a hand on top of hers, hoping to convey how much he meant the words he said.

"I will never regret loving you, Oliver." She knew it with such conviction. "Because even if you sometimes hurt me…in the end you make up for it, you never have a simple reason for keeping things from me. But I do want you to trust me…I _need_ you to trust me." Chloe declared with such passion.

Oliver brought their joined hands to his lips and placed a gentle kiss on hers. "I do trust you. But sometimes, I get this intense desire to protect you… from everything."

She shook her head in response. "I know how bad this world is. And I appreciate you wanting to protect me from it." She said quietly. "I can take whatever the world throws my way, but I need you on my side." Chloe only realized how true her statement was the moment she uttered it.

"I am." Oliver's grip on her hand tightened considerably. "I will always be on your side, because I need you to be on mine as well." He smiled ruefully.

Chloe laughed weakly. "We're becoming a little too sappy for my taste."

Oliver shook his head. "I think we're just the right amount of sap. I love you so much." He said again just before he leaned in for a kiss.

* * *

"So the Daily Planet is running with the story that a gas explosion destroyed the 'vacant' Luthorcorp building down by the docks." Chloe said as she hung up the phone.

The team had assembled at the Kent farm the night before and they were still there this morning. Chloe and Oliver just joined them, but her boyfriend was still on the phone making some final arrangements. She smiled in recollection of what happened the night before. Their declaration of love led to full disclosure of what Oliver was truly up to…among other things.

"Vacant?" Clark's brows furrowed. "Looks like the Luthor cover-up machine is in full swing." He said disapprovingly.

She patted his arm comfortingly. "Well, at least we got Bart out before Lex ran him into an early grave." She shot the younger man a small smile.

"Come on, no worries. I had plenty of juice left." Bart declared as he sped from beside AC and stopped right next to her.

Chloe grinned at him. He was laying on the charm pretty thickly as he placed an arm around her shoulders.

"Could have fooled me the way you cleaned out Mama Kent's fridge." Victor interjected sarcastically.

'That's cause I like to stay fueled up." He looked at her suggestively. "Just in case I need to spring into action." Bart sped from her left to her right, securing his arm around her pretty possessively.

Chloe was about to remind him that she had a boyfriend when said boyfriend walked into the barn, his mouth open, about to say something important she was sure.

Oliver's eyes narrowed when he saw Bart hanging all over his Chloe. 'Mine.' His mind said territorially. Bart's remark about the hot reporter was making sense. He could actually forgive Bart for having such good taste but the resounding mine still echoed in his head.

"She has a boyfriend." Oliver said as he walked towards the two. He firmly took Bart's arm around Chloe's and gave the younger man a hard look.

Bart looked slightly confused. "I know, Clark told me a number of times already. But a man can dream right?" He smiled at her. "Besides, said boyfriend's been MIA." He grinned mischievously.

Oliver shook his head. "A mistake he will not make again." He informed Bart coolly as he placed his arm around Chloe's waist.

Bart's eyes widened the moment Oliver moved.

Clark just chuckled quietly. AC and Victor exchanged knowing looks.

"Bossman!" Bart said accusingly.

Chloe placed a hand on Oliver's arm. "I'm afraid so." She said regretfully.

"B-but." Bart looked at the couple and then the guys.

Clark clapped him on the back. "It's no big deal. These two have been going out for like forever."

Bart just looked at him incredulously. "But I saw her first."

"And now you know why we call him Impulse." AC stated ruefully. He shook his head at the younger man's tone.

Chloe felt a little sorry for Bart until he said that he saw her first. "I'm not something that you can call dibs on." She said tartly.

"No, you're not." Oliver pulled her closer against him. "But I have to admit, Bart has good taste." He gave him an understanding look.

Bart sighed heavily. "I can't believe Chloelicious is dating you." He seemed sincerely crestfallen.

An understanding smile dawned on Chloe's face. "Sorry?"

Oliver reached out and patted Bart's back in the friendliest manner he could muster. "She's not really sorry." He informed the other man.

Chloe dug her elbow against his stomach. "Oliver!' She admonished, she was trying to be sympathetic. She had no idea that Bart would react the way that he did and she was sincerely trying to cheer him up.

He simply planted a kiss on her temple and smiled at her indulgently. "Don't worry about him, _Chloelicious_. Bart here is a big boy, he'll recover." He gave the younger man a meaningful look.

Bart met his gaze and Chloe was quite amazed to see him transform from the whiny kid he was behaving a minute ago to a more mature version. "I sure will!" He declared loudly. "Besides, if big green here ever messes up," He sped from beside Oliver and appeared once again next to Chloe. "You'll know who to call." He took Chloe's free hand in his and placed a kiss on the back of her hand.

Chloe laughed at Bart's antics and at the frown that Oliver was sporting. "I do." She said seriously. "Clark's my best friend and he has dibs on anyone who hurts me." She smiled in Clark's direction and her friend's answering chuckle was her answer.

Bart dramatically clutched his hand to his heart. "You truly wound me."

Oliver rolled his eyes. "Shall we focus on another business entirely?" He gave Chloe an amused smile before he turned back to his team.

Chloe cleared her throat. "We went over the information that AC and Victor hacked from the 33.1 mainframe last night." She lifted her gaze to Oliver who nodded in return.

The four other men were listening avidly.

"Lex doesn't seem to be satisfied playing in his own backyard." Oliver said gravely. "Luthorcorp is starting up divisions of 33.1 all across the globe. Wherever there's evidence of people with abilities, there'll be laboratories to do experiments on them."

"We can't let that happen." Clark declared with such conviction.

"We won't." Oliver replied in pretty much the same tone. "Our first target is a large facility on Corto Maltese." He looked at AC, Victor and Bart. "You guys know the drill." He nodded in their direction. "Wheels up in 30 minutes."

"Guess it's time to pack in our gear." AC said in a less than enthusiastic tone.

Oliver's brow rose at the quiet complaint. Chloe merely rolled her eyes and smiled at him in return. He returned the bright beam and was about to lead her out of the barn so they could say goodbye in private.

"You coming, amigo?" Bart posed the question to Clark eagerly.

Every one of them stopped. Oliver and Chloe exchanged looks.

"Yeah, you got to come with us man." AC added, clearly warming up to the idea.

Victor nodded in consideration. "We could use the big guns."

Oliver looked at the younger man and waited for the response. He already had a similar talk with Chloe and already knew the answer.

"I want to be a part of this, I really do." Clark began in the most reluctant tone.

Chloe watched her best friend as he tried to tell the rest in the nicest way possible the same thing she told Oliver the night before. That they still had unfinished business in Smallville…in Metropolis.

"There's a problem…that I caused. I have to take care of that first." Clark muttered gravely.

She felt pride. Clark was wallowing in the rivers of guilt before. Listening to him now, she knew that he finally moved beyond the blame and was definitely ready to face the challenges ahead.

Oliver nodded conciliatorily. "This isn't the end of the story, Clark. The team will be here, whenever you're ready." He held out his hand for the younger man.

Clark shook his hand and nodded in turn.

"Now I'll be taking a walk with my girlfriend, until you guys are ready." Oliver shot the three other men a look before holding his arm out to Chloe, which she took readily. The two of them walked out of the barn before anyone could comment.

"I'm going to miss this place." Oliver remarked as he gazed around their surroundings.

Chloe laughed quietly. "You barely spent time here." She said teasingly.

Oliver looked at her fondly. "But those times that I was, I was here with you." He replied pointedly.

She shook her head as she leaned against him. They talked about his move their night before, when they found out what Lex was exactly up to. It felt so clinical last night. But today, it felt all too real for her.

"Are you sure you can't come with me?" He stopped walking and faced her.

Chloe met his eyes reluctantly. The decision not to leave was hard enough; recapping said decision was not making things any easier. "Can you imagine what my dad would say if I said, hey dad, I'm going to go globe trotting with my boyfriend, which is really a mission to dismantle all the 33.1 that Lex Luthor is building all over the world." She stated so perkily.

Oliver pretended to look thoughtful for a full second. "He probably wouldn't like the idea." He conceded quietly.

"Besides, I still have the Planet and school will probably open soon." Her mood dropped back to forlorn. "I'm going to miss you." She said as she laid her cheek against his chest.

"And I you." Oliver enveloped her in his arms. He closed his eyes and relished the moment. "It's going to be fine." He murmured reassuringly.

Chloe pulled back. "Fine?" She gazed at him skeptically. "Long distance relationships are hard." She declared with such conviction.

Oliver nodded. "I heard that it is. But we'll make it work." He said confidently.

Her eyes narrowed at him. "How can you be so sure?"

"Because I am." He met her gaze head on. "I believe in us, Chloe." He pulled her closer to him and leaned his forehead against hers. "We've had our ups and downs. But we always pull through. I need you to believe in us, too." Oliver said with such intensity.

Chloe inhaled deeply. "I do."

Oliver looked at her ardently. "Then we'll be okay."

Chloe gave him a tentative smile. "Besides, our chances are much improved by the fact that you're a billionaire." She gave him a meaningful look.

He smiled at her. "I can always fly back to you."

"Or you can always fly me to wherever you are." She volleyed back, her enthusiasm was picking up.

"And one day, you'll join me." Oliver declared with such confidence.

"And together, we'll fight the good fight." Chloe finished for him.

The two of them looked at each other with such adoration. Oliver pulled her closer and Chloe settled comfortably in his arms. He raised a hand to caress her cheek tenderly and she leaned to his touch. They eyes were both shining with love for each other.

Their lips were about to meet.

A loud honk sounded from a car.

Oliver and Chloe looked at the direction of the sound. Oliver glared at Bart, who was the obvious culprit and Chloe just giggled.

"Let's get a move on!" Bart yelled enthusiastically.

AC, Clark and Victor seemed to be trying to control their laughter.

Oliver rolled his eyes and focused back on the woman he loved. Another honk was the team's reply.

"Those guys." He said tiredly.

Chloe just smiled before placing a hand on the back of his neck and pulled him in for a kiss, despite the insistent honking.

**THE END**

AN2: I can't believe this fic is over! So sad. But I also mentioned that I will be continuing Chloe and Ollie's story. It will be entitled **'So Close'**, I finally decided on that title. It will be different from this one, because I am going to try and shake things up. I won't be posting them in the correct order. I'll be picking them randomly. Or rather, I'm going to have the first pick and then it's reader's choice: the very first person to review this chapter will get to pick the next one and then the process shall start all over every time I post. Not only will that reviewer get to pick which episode I'll write, this person can also pm me endlessly until I post the chapter and can give me some input during the writing process. This will be a way for me not to let my fics go wayside. And it's also an opportunity for you guys to get what you want. That said, I picked the episode **Abyss** for the first chapter in So Close. Here's a sneakpeek...

_He sat on the barn steps, patiently waiting._

_He eyed the box in his hand and wondered. He hadn't been waiting long when he finally heard footsteps. He tensed at the forthcoming confrontation._

_Clark Kent walked into the barn and his gazed landed on Oliver. Oliver could tell that his presence was not the least bit surprising to the younger man. He probably heard him, somehow._

_"Clark." Oliver nodded in his direction._

_Clark gave him a puzzled look. "Ollie?" _

_"Chloe's in Metropolis." He answered the unvoiced question. _

_"Okay. So what's up?" Clark looked at him questioningly._

_Oliver got up from his perch and walked towards the other man. "You didn't tell me." He muttered lowly._

_Clark picked up a bale of hay and started on his chores. "Tell you what?" He looked like he had no care in the world._

_Oliver wanted to make him stop, to make him focus on the conversation at hand. He was unable to comprehend how the man in front of him can act like everything was normal. "You didn't tell me what you did to her?" He bit out, barely able to control his anger._

_Clark finally stopped and faced him fully. "I had no choice." He said in a hushed tone._

_He snapped at those words. "You always have a choice, Clark." He looked at him in disbelief. "You just prefer to be the coward that you are."_

_The younger man's eyes flashed dangerously at his words. "Coward? Do you know how hard it was?" His jaw tensed considerably._

_"How hard what was?" Oliver asked derisively. "How hard it was to fuck with your best friend's mind and take away the very essence of who she was?" His clutch on the box tightened._


End file.
